MVE #145

Rising Star of the Week

Damon Diesel

Damon Diesel managed to outlast seven other competitors in order to win the Showdown Showcase Elimination Match. I thought, he did well in the match. He looked strong and he rose to the occasion with being one of the hottest rising stars on the brand. The NEO Syndicate is interesting to me and I love that Damon used this match as an opportunity to make himself stand out. He is surrounded by people that I believe will help him reach his potential. Michael Bishop is fantastic in his own right. Shane Gates is someone that can be molded and perfected to break out much like Damon. I am quite curious to see if he will be built and become a serious contender for a title like the New Breed Championship I can also see him going after the Interwire Championship. I feel like this person can fit himself in any title picture and deliver to the best of his abilities.

Beef of the Week

Theron Nikolas vs. Mark Michaels

For Beef of the Week, I went with Theron Nikolas vs. Mark Michaels. I think this was one of the first times I’ve seen Mark Michaels bring his best since Pain for Pride. Going against Theron does not seem like an easy task for anyone and I give everyone the luck in the world if going up against him or any 1% members. Theron did his best by showing why he can be a future Answers World Champion. If there is a need for anyone to be a top heel, I think Theron would be the perfect candidate for that position. I think it is WAY overdue for Theron to get a World Championship reign. It should have happened at Dia Del Diablo or whenever he cashed in the 24/7 contract. For Mark, he will continue to try to prove to everyone that he can dethrone Johnny Ventura and take the Hardcore Championship away from him. It is not going to be an easy feat, but unpredictable things have happened before and I am not going to count out the thought of Mark walking away with the Hardcore Championship.

Show of the Week

Midsummer Massacre

For Show of the Week, I have to give it to Showdown’s FPV, Midsummer Massacre. From the pre-show to the main event, I thought the entire show was fantastic and put me on the edge of my seat. The Liam Archer situation being handed in the elimination match was hilarious, but I loved the inclusion of Shane Gates in The NEO Syndicate. It was unpredictable, but I can see Shane finding his niche with these group of men. Xander Payne and Sunami Tayo was a competitive match and it helped establish Xander as a strong champion. I would love to see Sunami get another shot of the title down the road, so it should be interesting to see what happens to him after. The number one contender’s match for the EAW Championship was entertaining with the promos they cut. I did not expect for a disqualification to occur, but I am curious to see if this feud with TLA and Cody Marshall continues because it’s been fun to watch unfold. The match for the Openweight Championship was great. It established Terry Chamber’s strength and made Andrea Valentine look like an underdog trying to survive this match. I was happy to see Andrea retain, but I really hope that Terry finds himself in a title picture. I believe there is nothing that can stop him at the moment. He manages to find himself in feuds and I just wanna see that keep going. Drillmatic and The Dragon Slayers was an amazing match. Dragon Slayers looked good despite the loss and there is no denying that they will get their moment one day, but Drillmatic was in a whole other level in this match and that cannot be denied. For the Voltage Invitation, I was not expecting Lethal Consequences to go over Devan Dubian. I love that it gives LC heat with the cheating victory and I know for a fact that things may not be over between the two of them. The ironman match for the Interwire Championship was one of the best matches of the night. I was so glad to see The Heart Break Boy finally get a championship. Hopefully, he doesn’t lose that one anytime soon. I hope that Ahren Fournier gets to the main event scene now. He is more than deserving of it. He’s the GOAT after all. As for the main event…

Match of the Week

Diamond Cage vs. Michael Bishop

I am going to give it the Match of the Week. When it was announced that Cage and Bishop would be facing in a Barbed Wire Steel Cage Match, I had to give the advantage to Diamond Cage because these are the matches that he is in his element. These are the types of matches in which be can fuck up someone real bad. The match had his name all over it, which is probably why he wanted the match. I knew Michael Bishop was going to really bring his ruthlessness into the match. I was amazed to see how well he stood on his own in the match. For the ending of the match, I was okay with it. Michael did not get pinned or submitted and it seemed like Cage survived his way out of the match. I thought the hole spot was a little strange, but it was a different way of eliminating your opponent. It just showed that Cage needed to really get creative and find a way to get rid of Michael so he can make his way out of the cage. I believe these two men brought each other to the limit and I would not mind seeing another match with these two.

Promoer of the Week

Theron Nikolas

Theron Nikolas is our Promoer of the Week! I thought Theron’s promos were some of the most entertaining of the entire week. I could not wait for what he would respond with next. I was on the edge of my seat and just thinking of how he will respond to this promo. This is the type of person that can be serious and sarcastic and not have one overpower the other. I thought it was a perfect balance and it got his points across which is the most important thing when cutting a promo. I am not surprised that they played a role in getting the victory! I thought he had the more compelling argument. It seems like he has his own issues with Andrei Sokolova and it makes me curious to see what this feud will take them next. This is one of the more interesting lower card feuds and I wonder if this will help elevate him to the next level.

Champion of the Week

Diamond Cage

For Champion of the Week, I gave it to Diamond Cage, who retained his EAW Championship in a hellacious Barbed Wire Steel Cage Match. He earned his retention, I thought it was a tough match for his second (?) title defense and it makes me think how Cage will raise the bar for the next time? It seems like title defenses will have a regular thing on Showdown and I do not think anyone is complaining at all. I’m just wondering with all the amazing talent getting their title shots, who is there going to be left that can potentially take the title off of him? I feel like the roster is so limited in the main event scene and I feel like we could see a bunch more lengthy feuds and build-ups happening throughout Season 12. I am excited to see who else Cage faces for the title. I am curious to know if this will be the last time we get insane matches like this or if these are just the first of many? I’m just excited to see this brand and talent show their potential that would not have been possible before. It makes me optimistic for the future.

Most Valuable Elitist

The Heart Break Boy

Congratulations to the NEW Interwire Champion, The Heart Break Boy! I for one cannot be more excited for this victory! There is a part of me that is sad that Ahren Fournier’s title reign ends, but I can see HBB having a good reign with this championship. I feel like this is the most I’ve seen him motivated in a while. He has put over a lot of people these past few years and I am glad that he’s getting what he deserves. I just hope that he doesn’t let this title slip him by like the Hall of Fame Championship. I would love to see him play a role and making the Interwire Championship one of the most desired championships in EAW. I could see this reign being lengthy because a lot of people are going to have to step up to the plate and get on his level. Who knows when that will happen? I feel like this is the year of people getting their due and I am hopeful that more deserving people will get the opportunities that they deserve.