Academy Pro Wrestling - Ground Zero
The Burning Truth was in attendance at The Academy Pro Wrestling, after having to miss the previous show, which was a shame as The Academy Pro Wrestling Shows are always great to attend, having entertaining matches and they always know how to keep the audience on the edge of their seats. As we arrived at the Kyushinkai Martial Arts Centre, there was something in the air that was calling out that the show was going to be special and there was only one way to find out, by being there.
Match 1
King of the Kingdom Championship Match
Kieran McQueen Vs Joe Black (c)
When you look at this match on paper, most would assume that it would be a one-sided fight and that Joe Black would be having an easy night. The reason why most would assume this would be because this was Kieran McQueen’s 3rd Match in his whole wrestling career, plus Joe Black has been on a winning streak while being involved with The Purge and since Winning the King of the Kingdom Championship from Joey Sanchez.
However, that wasn’t the case in this match, as Kieran McQueen quickly aimed to show that management had made the right choice in picking them but also showing everyone who has any doubt and Joe Black personally, McQueen had something to prove.
Now on the flip side, Black was feeling confident in having to face against Kieran, as he knew that Kieran doesn’t have the experience that most of the APW Roster has and was going into this match with bags full of confidence and even gloating that the match was already over before it had even begun.
As the match began, it was clear which one was going to be the stronger of the two of them but also at the same time, who would be the quicker one as well. Joe made it clear in this match to make sure to give a good beat down whenever he had the advantage and used his ring experience to his advantage to bend the rules as much as possible.
However, Black would soon enough find out that Kieran wasn’t going to allow him to have an early/easy night and that if he was going to successfully defend his championship, he was going to have to earn the victory.
Kieran was really taking it to Black, he even had it at one point where it was close to a 3 count, but it was only 2.9, he couldn’t have gotten it any closer than that without getting the victory. However, Kieran went to the well too many times (possibly because he was so close to victory or maybe due to inexperience) and Black made him pay for it by crashing him down on to the canvas face first, then following it up by climbing to the top rope and hitting a thunderous Swanton Bomb to bring the match to a close with the 3-count right after.
Winner and STILL King of the Kingdom Champion - Joe Black
Joe Black may have got the victory, but I am sure that he won’t be underestimating his opponent again, anytime soon. Kieran did put up a valiant effort and yes Kieran may have not come away with the victory, but he left with the crowd firmly behind him and the knowledge that it was only a fraction away from earning his first championship.
Match 2
Triple Threat Match
RJ Mann (w/ Gareth D Holloway) Vs Connor Clyne Vs "The Blue Arrow" Damo Scorpio
Before the match started, it was meant to be a 1-on-1 contest, RJ Mann Vs Connor Clyne but management felt that they could improve the match and decided to add “The Blue Arrow Damo Scorpio and making it a Triple Threat Match. It was very clear before the bell rang who was the fan favourite in this match was.
As soon as the match started RJ quickly tried to get the jump on Damo, who quickly started to fight back but then Clyne made his presence know as he tried to attack Damo, while he was focusing on RJ. So, then Damo had to keep switching his focus on both, turning around after a short-burst attack on one and then on the other.
Damo kept using his speed to his advantage against his larger opponents, as they were they trying to team up and make it a 2-on-1 for a short time. However, soon enough when they did manage to get the advantage, they soon turned on each other like vicious animals trying to get claim the victory, breaking up pinfall attempt, after pinfall attempt.
Eventually, Damo managed to get an advantage, in all the confusion of them fighting against each other, which then became the turning point in the match as Damo quickly grabbed RJ, to then dropkick Connor almost out of the ring and then using the momentum to land a Shiranui on RJ, which lead to the pinfall victory.
Winner - "The Blue Arrow" Damo Scorpio
Match 3
Number #1 Contenders Match for the APW Championship
CJ Connors Vs Joey Sanchez
Before this match started, the Academy Pro Wrestling fans knew this was going to be a heavily fought contest as both do have a history against each other but then to also include the facts that CJ Connors’ partner in crime, Joe Black had defeated Joey Sanchez to become the current King of the Kingdom Champion on 2 shows ago and successfully keep the championship at the previous show. Also, to increase the tension this match was to decide who will be fighting for the APW Championship on the 21st April Show, however that could be whoever is the winner of this shows Main Event.
So, with the stakes of this match being so high and the personal history that these two have against each other, this was going to be a battle to decide the Number 1 Contender for the APW Championship. The bell rings to start the match and Sanchez, gets the fans behind him as he was the clear favourite in this match. However, Connors over-powers Sanchez and showboating, almost as if he was sending the message I don’t need the fans to kick your ass, Sanchez.
The fans then slowly start to irritate Connors, as they start chanting names at him, which clearly, he didn’t like as he started to get frustrated as, during the next lock-up, Sanchez was able to get one up on him, which also showed that the fans were getting under the skin of Connors. Sanchez used this fact to his advantage and managed to get the advantage early on as Connors kept moving his focus onto the fans when he really should always keep his focus on someone like Sanchez.
Connors did use his ring awareness and used the ring itself as a weapon to take control of the match and start giving a beat-down to Sanchez. Connors kept on top of Sanchez being very aggressive, but each time Connors attempted to go for the pin, he only managed to acquire a 2 count. Now with each time Connors got a 2 count, you could see that the frustration of not getting victory was slowly getting to him and it was allowing Sanchez at times to get some strikes in, to attempt a come-back but Connors was quick to cut him off.
Eventually, the frustration was getting to Connors, who then attempted to put an end to Sanchez with a Top Rope Superplex but they allowed Sanchez to quickly start fighting back and send Connors crashing to the Canvas with a thud. At this point, Sanchez decided to take a leap of faith and hit a Top Rope Flying Crossbody but didn’t get the job done as it only managed to get him a 2 count with his pinfall attempt.
The action then quickly started to get pacier which works to Sanchez’s odds, as he managed to hit a Russian Leg Sweep, which was followed up by another pinfall attempt that only got the count of 2. Frustration was slowly starting to affect Sanchez, who decided that it would be best to hit the Superkick to bring the match to an end. However, much to everyone’s shock, Connors managed to avoid it and hit his own Superkick and followed it up with a Modified Irish Curse Backbreaker. Everyone assumed that the match was over, but Sanchez kicked out at 2.
Connors was in complete frustration at this point as he started to scream at the referee for not counting 3 and then trying multiple pinfall attempts to only get a 2 count each time. Connors by this time has had enough and decides to be bring it all to end as he attempts to hit Sanchez with a Tombstone Piledriver, but Sanchez quickly counters into a roll-up for the count of 2, then manages to hit a quick Superkick and followed it up with a Code Breaker that was a clean knockout.
As Sanchez goes to claim his victory, some unknown masked fan managed to jump the guard rail and placed Connors foot on the rope, just before the count of 3 without the referee seeing them do this. The referee calls for a rope break, which confused Sanchez. Tommy Gun & APW Management quickly come out to try and capture the masked fan, which made Sanchez take his focus off Connors, which Connors was clearly going to make him pay for that mistake, as Connors then quickly picked up Sanchez onto his shoulders and hits a Damaging TKO for the 1, 2, 3 and become the New Number 1# Contender for the APW Championship.
Winner - CJ Connors
The masked fan who had gotten involved in the match and cost Joey Sanchez the match didn’t quite seem finished with Sanchez, as it was soon enough to be revealed to be none other than “The Infamous” Jayme Future. Once again Future had cost Sanchez another Championship opportunity, even though he had been suspended by Tommy Gunn & APW Management.
It was clear that the Sanchez/Future rivalry was far from being over as it was getting more personal each time, it has even got to the point that Sanchez grabbed the microphone from Tommy, then demanded Future to be reinstated to the APW Roster and to book a match between them at the next show on Saturday 21st April.
To everyone’s surprise, however, Future refused the offer to do the match, as it wasn’t on his terms and that he was too busy being the Number 1 Wrestling Book Seller on Amazon, but he would agree to the match if there was a special stipulation added. The stipulation being that if Joey Sanchez Wins, then Jayme Future would have to leave APW for good. However, if Jayme Future Wins, then Sanchez would have to become Future’s Trainee (which means he would have to do anything and everything that Future wanted or demanded) or Leave APW.