Want more wrestling news, rumors, and results? Be sure to visit PWInsider.com and PWInsiderXtra.com.
New Jersey’s WrestlePro returned to Rahway, NJ at the Rahway Rec Center on Saturday 10/16 for “Welcome Back”, which aired live on FITE.TV for the first time and is currently available for replay buys. This was the first event for the promotion in the venue since February 2020 due to the pandemic.
Tony Nese vs. Dr. Bobby Wayward
Some nice back and forth wrestling early. Wayward went to the floor to break up Nese’s momentum. Nese nailed some nice combinations of kicks and chops. Wayward was sent to the floor. Nese attempted a pescado but Wayward stepped away. Nese landed on the apron and cartwheeled over Wayward’s attempt to drill him, then hit a superkick. Nese returned to the ring and nailed the pescado. The crowd was super into Nese, chanting his name.
Nese worked over Wayward on the floor, chopping away at him. Wayward was tossed back in but tripped up Nese as he climbed the ropes. Nese was stomped and beaten with chops as Wayward scored several two counts. Wayward turned his attention to Nese’s knee, working over it and attempting to break him down. Wayward pulled his leg to the apron and snapped it over the corner.
Wayward measured and kicked away at Nese, then cinched in a cravate. The crowd began catcalling “Waaaaayward” at him, trying to get under his skin. Nese avoided a charge in the corner. Nese went for an Emerald Frosion but Wayward escaped and turned it into a rollup but Nese popped out with a superkick.
Nese nailed a back elbow and a boot to the face. Nese drilled him with a big spinning heel kick. Nese snapped him across the top rope and drilled him with a beautiful springboard moonsault for a close two count. The crowd chanted for Nese.
Nese worked Wayward over with rights in the corner. The referee stepped in, allowing Wayward to drill Nese. Nese came back with a pumphandle slam into a Michinoku Driver for another two count. Nese was shocked he didn’t get the win.
Wayward came back with the stretch muffler. Nese went for the ropes but was pulled to the center of the ring. He finally escaped. They battled back and forth with hard chops. Nese was nailed with a big lariat that sent him inside out for a two count. Nese went for a rollup but Wayward rolled through and grabbed the ropes for the pin.
Your winner, Tony Nese!
A damn good opener. It was nice to see an unbridled Nese return to a venue that was really important to the early era of his career - he did wrestle The Great Muta here, and put in another great performance, but doing so to help make Wayward by putting him over clean. Wayward has been super underrated for a long time and I can’t put my finger on why he doesn’t get more attention. He was with Nese every step of the way here and this was a super enjoyable opener.
Nese received a sizable standing ovation. You could see the moment meant something to him.
They aired a promo from Colt Cabana, who was at AEW Dynamite, announcing his return here on 11/27.
Justin Corino vs. Crowbar
Corino was originally slated to face Gangrel, who is out with an injury. He attacked Crowbar as he stepped into the ring and drilled him in the throat with Crowbar’s own ring gear. He stomped away on Crowbar until the former WCW star slid through his legs and used a double leg takedown to take Corino to the mat, throttling him by the throat.
Crowbar sent him into the ropes for a spinebuster, scoring a two count. He drove Corino’s jaw across his knee, sending him bouncing through the ropes to the floor. Crowbar went for a dive but Corino raced away. Crowbar drilled him with a kick and sent him into the guard rails. Crowbar nailed a Vader Bomb off the guard rails to the floor, which is pretty creative and not smart for anyone’s health.
Corino was brought back into the ring and hit with a measured dropkick for a two count. Crowbar drilled him across the chest with chops in the corner and followed up with a hard forearm. Crowbar charged Corino but was nailed with a superkick and snapped into a schoolboy takedown, smacking Crowbar backwards into the buckles.
Corino stomped away at Crowbar, who tried to fight back. Crowbar was sent into the ropes and nailed with a knee to the gut then a low basement clothesline for a two count. Crowbar was worked over and nailed with a uranage on the apron outside. It’s nuts to see him taking these sorts of bumps at this stage of his uOrlando hit the ring and kept slamming the Graysons over and over. They did a silly bit where he even almost slammed his own partner before they realized their near-error and slammed the Graysons in stereo. Nice way to use a basic move in a different way to get a reaction. Nothing wrong with trying to make the most out of something.
They then pulled out something that shouldn't have worked but did. The Shook Crew grabbed their plush goat and built up that it was going to do a dive. Yes, really. They charged and tossed it at the Graysons, who caught it and looked at it like this was the stupidest thing in the world, which it was, but that left them distracted for the Shook Crew to nail a double sliding kick to the outside, so the goat was actually a trojan goat. I can't believe I wrote that either.
They battled on the floor and returned to the ring. Tommy Grayon sent the Shook Crew into each other and nailed a combination blockbuster/Samoan Drop for the pin.
Your winners, The Graysons!
Solid tag team bout.
The Grayson were playing up their win in the ring when The Acclaimed popped up on the video screen to announce they were coming to face The Graysons on 11/27 in Rahway. The building popped huge for that.
They went to a promo from Alaska for WrestlePro Gold Champion Deonn Russman. He said he's not where he wants to be and that's Rahway. All he wants to do is show why he's the champ. He said he's sorry he went down to a knee issue but is recovering and he'll be back soon.
Shawn Donavan hit the ring as they were preparing for the next match. He said this is the return of WrestlePro to Rahway and he's not scheduled for a match even though he's main evented in this building. He doesn't need a match in front of the Rahway morons. They chanted, "A**hole" at him. He said he needs an unsanctioned fight with no rules tonight and challenged any tough guy to walk out and face him now. Out came CPA, who wrestles in a shirt and tie as he's a...CPA. Very odd choice for a no rules fight...
No Rules Fight: CPA vs. Shawn Donavan
CPA was drilled and went down. Donavan grabbed his tie but it was a clip-on, allowing CPA to nail a surprised Donavan for a second or so. He charged CPA in the corner and wiped him out. CPA accidentally tripped him into the ropes and did a silly 619 takeoff He was cut off and nailed with a big knee to the face and covered but Donavan pulled him up at the two count. Donavan wanted to punish him more and waited for CPA to get back to his feet.
Donavan was about to finish him off when "Enter Sandman" played and indeed, it was The Sandman doing his grand entrance. The place popped and chanted for ECW and obviously had a great time singing the song. Sandman caned Donavan, allowing CPA to get the pin.
Your winner, CPA!
Sandman and CPA shared a beer after.
It's a scene we've all seen a thousand times but to get the live crowd going, it never fails to work.
Coverage continues on Page 2.
If you enjoy PWInsider.com you can check out the AD-FREE PWInsider Elite section, which features exclusive audio updates, news, our critically acclaimed podcasts, interviews and more by clicking here!
Bang On Casino
