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Welcome to PWInsider.com’s live, ongoing coverage of the debut broadcast for the United Wrestling Network’s Primetime Live PPV series, airing from Thunder Studios in Long Beach, CA!
Primetime Live is airing on InDemand as well as FITE.TV.
The series was opened by Dave Marquez thanked everyone for ordering the show. He began to tout the event when Chris Dickinson showed up. He said everyone tired of Marquez's "sh**" and said that everyone watching this knows who he is. He said that he doesn't care what anyone thinks about him. He's going to show the world how dangerous he is and he doesn't care what he does to anyone in his way. It was a strong promo.
The announcing team is Todd Kenely, Alyssa Marino and Joe Galli.
West Coast Pro Champion Alexander Hammerstone vs. EJ Sparks.
Hammerstone immediately took Sparks down to the mat and worked him over Sparks escaped and used a standing hammerlock to control Hammerstone until he grabbed the ropes. They went back and forth with forearms and strikes. Sparks nailed a springboard into a Superman Punch. Sparks whipped him into the corner but Hammerstone reversed it. Sparks was sent to the outside but landed on the apron. Hammerstone powered him up into a butterfly suplex slam, which he called the Spinal Effect.
Hammerstone worked over Sparks with strikes in the corner, then whipped Sparks hard into the opposite corner. He powered up Sparks and drove him down with a big over the knee backbreaker. Sparks fired back with hard kicks but ate a tough elbow to the face. Hammerstone drove himself into Sparks in the corner. Hammerstone used his foot to smother Sparks in the corner. He controlled Sparks on the mat with a side chinlock.
Sparks was sent into the corner again but fired back with an elbow. Hammerstone cut him off and nailed a belly to belly overhead suplex. Hammerstone locked on an abdominal stretch, slapping and drilling an elbow into the challenger. Sparks started to block Hammerstone's strikes and fired back with a series of his own. He went for a kick but Hammerstone cut him off and nailed a big uppercut. Hammerstone nailed a big powerbomb for a close two count.
Hammerstone nailed the Nightmare Pendulum, a standing suplex into a sideslam, for the pin.
Your winner and still West Coast Pro Champion Champion Alexander Hammerstone!
The match was solid but there was quite a bit of buffering on the stream early.
We went to the announcers who thanked everyone for spending their time and money, promising to be back every Tuesday night. They ran down the remainder of the lineup for tonight's PPV.
NWA Champion Nick Aldis was interviewed backstage. He said it was a big night. It's the first time he's ever stepped into a ring with Mike Bennett. It's the first time the NWA title will be defended on Primetime Live. He said he, for the first time, he has nothing to say, because he's already said everything that needed to be said. This title means the world to his family and to the Bennett family. Bennett is looking for redemption but that redemption comes with a price. He promised he would be retaining.
Will Allday vs. Jordan Clearwater.
Allday demanded the ring announcer do his introduction over.
They locked up and battled back and forth. Allday escaped a waistlock and nailed a kick to bring Clearwater down to his knees. He went for a kick but Clearwater avoided it. They battled back and forth with some big strikes and kicks. Allday nailed several big kneestrikes. Clearwater nailed a clothesline that sent Allday inside out. He worked over Allday in the corner with right hands. Allday avoided a charge in the corner and shoved Clearwater into the buckles face-first. Allday came off the top with a frog splash for a close two count. Clearwater was kicked in the face and nailed with a series of knees and punches. Allday rebounded off the ropes with a flying forearm, then nailed a suplex. He missed a kick to the head but rebounded and nailed one to the back of the head, scoring another two count. Good, athletic wrestling thus far.
Clearwater rebounded and put together some nice offensive maneuvers, including a splash in the corner. Clearwater went for a bulldog but Allday escaped. Clearwater is able to catch him with another but Allday kicked out at the last second. He sent Clearwater to the floor and nailed a big dive to the outside. Allday dumped Clearwater back into the ring with a Buckshot Lariat attempt but was caught with a big boot to the face and pinned.
Your winner, Jordan Clearwater!
One day, we'll look back and remember this as their PPV debuts. Each of them showed a lot of potential. Allday is farther along at knowing how he wants to present himself and certainly shined here. Clearwater has a ton of athletic potential and he hasn't scratched his potential yet.
They announced The Friendship Farm will appear next week.
Kamille vs. Heather Monroe with Halston Body
They locked up and Kamille, obviously having the power advantage, backed Monroe into the corner. Monroe grabbed a side headlock but was brushed off. She went for a sleeper but was driven backwards into the buckles. Kamille nailed a series of big right hands, Kamille drilled her with big European upppercuts. Kamille continued to work over Monroe, tearing at her neck.
The battle went to the floor, where Body was menaced by Kamille. Monroe nailed a bodypress off the apron but was caught. Monroe sent her into the ring post and then yanked her shoulder into the post several times. Monroe brought her back into the ring but was cut off with a Samoan Drop. Kamille sold that her shoulder was hurting, so Monroe began attacking it. Monroe took her to the mat to lock in an armbar but Kamille made it to the ropes to break the hold. Monroe, on the apron, nailed a series of knees to the head and then nailed a double stomp for a two count.
Kamille cut her off, snapping her to the mat. Kamille nailed a big running Avalanche in the corner, then nailed a powerslam with authority for a two count. Monrow caught her with Eat Defeat for a two count. Kamille locked her in a Torture Rack but her shoulder prevented her from getting all of it in. Kamile was distracted by Body. Monroe went to attack but Kamille moved and Body was almost knocked off the apron. Kamille was caught in Monroe's finisher but powered out and speared Monroe for the pin.
Your winner, Kamille!
This was OK. It was certainly more competitive than someone new to the talents would have expected. Monroe is the most prominent female talent in Championship Wrestling Hollywood so interesting to see her losing to Kamille here. That said, this was way off from how Kamille had been portrayed by the NWA thus far.
Dave Marquez interviewed Ei Drake. He announced Drake vs. Watts would take place next week. Drake said for eight months, he's been on the sidelines and locked down. He said the world's been crazy the last few months. He said it's so good to be back, he's even happy to see Dave Marquez's goofy smile. He's happy to be back to be here with the UWN in conjunction with the NWA. He said he goes back with Watts and he's sorry that Watts is in the path of the gravy train. He said he has to do what he has to do and that's just a fact of life.
They plugged Thunder Rosa defending the NWA Women's title next week vs. Priscilla Kelly.
Dave Marquez interviews UWN TV Champion Dan Joseph. He said that he's going to keep the title. He said even when he loses, he keeps the title. He scoffed at the idea this might be the night he loses his title.
The Tribe - The Hawaiian Lion and The Navajo Warrior vs. The Wolf Zaddies, Bad Dude Tito and Che Cabrera.
Navajo Warrior showcased his power early on. Cabrera and Lion nailed each other with clotheslines at the same time. Warrior tagged in and nailed an Avalanche in the corner on Che. He continued to slam and beat down Che. Tito and Che doubleteamed Najavo, scoring several two counts. This is very much a lot more of physical battering vs. tag team finesse.
Lion took control on Cabrera. Lion nailed a Saito Suplex but didn't realize Tito had blind tagged in. They double-teamed Lion but Warrior dove in to make the save. Warrior powerbombed Tito but Che broke up the pinfall.
They continued to battle. Lion was sent out and crashed hard on the entrance ramp. The announcers acted like they were shocked when he got up. Navajo and Che chopped back and forth while on their knees. The battle went on and on. Just as I wrote that, the bell rang and everyone looked at each other. The ref said, "The time ran out." They all fought to the back.
Mike Bennett was interviewed backstage. Maria Kanellis was with him. They never once advertised that she would be on the show I don't believe. He said he was trying to find the right words. He has the utmost respect for Aldis and if he didn't, he wouldn't have issued the challenge. He can drastically change their lives if he wins the title. He is climbing the mountain as a desperate man but he is leaving tonight as the champion. It was a good promo.
They announced Ray Rosas would defend the CWH Heritage title next week.
Chris Dickinson vs. Jordan Cruz
Cruz is apparently replacing Dick Mayor. Dickinson attacked him on the entrance ramp and laid him out. He took the ring mic and said that if this is the best they have, the roster is in a lot of trouble. He's been eating guys alive for two years all over the world. He told them to call 911 for this loser and complained that he came all the way from NYC to Los Angeles for this "sh**."
Cruz pulled himself into the ring so they rang the bell. Dickinson wiped him out with a big back elbow as he rebounded off the ropes. Cruz tried to fight back from underneath but kept getting beaten down. Dickinson locked on a Texas Cloverleaf and then stomped Cruz hard as he let it go. He nailed a big snap suplex on Cruz for a two count. Dickinson kept screaming for Billy Corgan and Dave Marquez, asking if this was all they could offer him. He nailed a big back suplex and scored another two count.
Cruz started to mount a comeback, including a dropkick. He nailed a Rough Ryder but was too beaten down to capitalize. He worked over Dickinson with punches in the corner. He almost scored as three count with a forward roll. Dickinson nailed a powerbomb and a running kick to the side of the head. He nailed him with a running Death Valley Driver for the pin.
Your winner, Chris Dickinson!
Dickinson did a hell of a job getting himself over as a heel here.
Karl Fredericks will be appearing next week.
UWN TV Champion Dan Joseph vs. Levi Shapiro with Howdy Price.
I am surprised they didn't have Price cut a promo as Shapiro came to the ring.
Shapiro and Joseph traded slams early on. Joseph caught him in an armbar and worked the challenger over. Joseph went to the ropes but Price tried to grab at him. He got nailed. Joseph nailed a basement dropkick and scored the pinfall. It was obvious someone screwed up as the referee counted two, waited for the kickup, it didn't happen, so counted three. WHOOPS. The feed dropped and they were brawling. It dropped again and they had fought to the back with Price laid out.
Your winner and still champion Dan Joseph!
They would have been better off just cutting the match.
They said Howdy Price stole the TV title but we didn't see it.
By the way, the announcing team tonight has been great.
NWA Champion Nick Aldis vs. Mike Bennett with Maria Kanellis
With his shaved year and shaved goatee, Bennett looked like Eric Young's younger brother. He was in tremendous shape.
Aldis came out with no music or announcement and they just started. Bennett took the fight right to him with chops and strikes. Bennett rebounded off the ropes and went to tackle Aldis but he sidestepped and the ref was wiped out. Yes, 45 seconds in. Aldis went to the outside. Bennett followed and they battled to the stage. Bennet was tombstoned on the entrance ramp. Aldis gtried to walk out. Maria wouldn't let him leave so Kamille came out and Maria wisely backed away.
Bennett nailed a flying bodypress off the entrance onto Aldis. The cameras missed it. The referee still wasn't moving so the other referees checked on him. They returned to the ring with a new referee, exchanging blows. Bennett charged and was nailed with a Falcon Arrow for a two count. Bennett was nailed with a forearm but nailed a superkick and a clothesline for a two count. Bennett nailed a series of elbows but was caught with a tombstone. Aldis nailed a flying elbow for a two count.
Aldis went back to the top but was cut off with a thrust to the throat. Bennett tried to go for a superplex and nailed it. Bennett speared Aldis for a close two count. Bennett looked really good in the ring. He nailed a piledriver and covered Aldis, who dropped his foot on the bottom rope at the last second. Maria grabbed the NWA title and handed it to Bennett....right in front of the referee. Bennett looked at the title for a long time and teased using it to attack the champ but tossed it down.
Bennett went for the piledriver. He went to the top but was caught in mid-air and turned over into the Texas Cloverleaf. Bennett, trapped in the middle, kept screaming "I Need this!" and refused to tap. He kept trying to figure out how to escape but began blacking out. The referee called it.
Your winner and still NWA Champion, Nick Aldis!
For what limited time they had, they worked as hard as they could. It was obvious they were rushing through everything due to no time.
The two had words as the PPV went off the air.
There are obviously a lot of technical kinks to work out here. The early matches ate a lot of time and they were obviously cutting time left and right and still didn't have enough time for a NWA title bout at the level fans would have been expecting at this point. Going forward, they should have the main event go on 45 minutes into the show and then close out with some of the younger, more athletic talents to prevent that from happening again. The production missed some shots, including the bodypress spot. The stream on FITE buffered way too much for 2020 especially early on and they are going to really need to rally back next week to redeem that.
Announced for the United Wrestling Network's Primetime Live Episode 2:
*NWA Women's Champion Thunder Rosa vs. Priscilla Kelly.
*Eli Drake vs. Watts.
*The Friendship Farm, CWH Heritage Champion Ray Rosas and Karl Fredericks to appear.
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