JDL holds the Path of Gold Trophy while Ralph Imabayashi looks on
The Royal Flush give their standard introductions
The Royal Flush (PWR Champion “Classical” Bryan Leo and Main Maxx) VS “The Senyorito” Jake De Leon and Ralph Imabayashi
Two former PWR Champions, Ralph Imabayashi and Jake De Leon, were looking to get some payback against the current Champion and the Royal Flush. Jake De Leon and Bryan Leo started things off with an impressive sequence of chain wrestling. JDL delivered a beautiful cartwheel splash on Leo, but only garnered a count of 1. Ralph got tagged in and delivered some offense against his nemesis. JDL was tagged in and delivered an elbow drop to Bryan Leo. JDL delivered an amazing kick to Leo from the apron. JDL attempted to deliver his hampas lupa on the PWR Champion, but Main Maxx was there to stop it and pull him to the outside of the ring. Main Maxx punished JDL with a devastating back suplex on the ring apron. Maxx got tagged in by Bryan Leo and the perfect 10 rolled his opponent back into the ring. Main Maxx kept JDL grounded with some submission holds before he tagged in Bryan Leo. The PWR Champion would deliver his patented diving headbutt to JDL after Main Maxx delivered a bodyslam + body splash combo. Bryan Leo began working on the legs of his opponent, tweaking it with a couple of leglocks. Main Maxx re-entered the match and delivered a hard body splash on JDL for 2.
Bryan Leo has JDL trapped!
JDL and Main Maxx attempt to reach their respective corners for a tag
The referee would be distracted at one point and John Sebastian passed Main Maxx the Singapore cane to attack JDL. With JDL down, Main Maxx tossed the cane to an incoming Ralph Imabayashi and feigned being knocked out. Comedic timing proved correct once the referee turned to see the former PWR champion holding the cane and both men outcold. The referee admonished Ralph for his apparent assault. An incensed Ralph Imabayashi left the ring and started to chase John Sebastian with the cane, attacking him every chance he got. JDL made it to his corner to try and tag out, but Ralph was not there as he was busy having throwing a tantrum outside (thanks to John Sebastian’s taunting among other things). Main Maxx had JDL with a cloverleaf submission for a good while before the latter would reach the ropes to break the hold. Both JDL and Main Maxx went down with dual clotheslines and the referee started to count them in the ring. JDL finally made the much needed tag to Ralph who burst into the ring with some hard hitting offense. He sent Bryan Leo to the corner and delivered his patented corner assault. Main Maxx would suffer the same fate as Bryan Leo as Ralph would also deliver the same combo to him. Ralph delivered a flying knee on Bryan Leo but only got a 2 count. Bryan Leo fought back and hit his diving headbutt on the former PWR champion. Outside the ring, John Sebastian was knocked out by JDL’s superkick. The Senyorito slid into the ring and he and Ralph delivered a clothesline sandwich on Main Maxx. Ralph grabbed Bryan Leo and set him up for JDL’s superkick. However, the crafty PWR Champion slithered out of Ralph’s grasp and it was Imabayashi who got leveled by JDL’s destructive kick. Bryan Leo and Main Maxx would deliver their respective finishers on their opponents and won this tag team contest.
JDL tried to apologize to Ralph after the match, but the latter didn’t accept it. Ralph, the defiant young lad, shoved JDL…who shoved him back. Both men had a brief stare down and argued with each other before they left ringside.
Ken Warren and his associate, Joey Bax
Ken Warren delivers a dropkick on Chris Panzer
For the Philippine Hybrid X Championship: Ken Warren © vs Chris Panzer vs Bombay Suarez
The main event for the evening featured the PHX Champion Ken Warren defending his title against two challengers: Chris Panzer and Bombay Suarez. The two challengers looked to assault Ken Warren at the start of the match, but the PHX champion did a couple of tactics to delay the inevitable beat down. Bombay and Panzer had a 2-on-1 assault on Ken Warren for the first couple of minutes before the PHX champ left the ring. Bombay Suarez and Chris Panzer fought each other inside the ring while Ken Warren looked on from outside. The wily PHX champion slid in to break the pin after Bombay delivered a snap suplex on Panzer. Ken Warren was in control as he delivered separate attacks on Bombay Suarez and Chris Panzer on the corner. At one point of the match, Joey Bax would make his presence felt as he pulled the hair of Chris Panzer. Ken Warren delivered a dropkick on Bombay Suarez for a 2 count. Chris Panzer got back into the fight with a Thez Press on the PHX champion and he rained down the fists on his opponent. Bombay Suarez connected with a big boot on Chris Panzer, but the leader of the Panzer army retaliated with a powerful spinebuster for 2. Bombay Suarez sent both Warren and Panzer on the same corner before he grabbed Panzer for a double underhook DDT.
Ken Warren gets a taste of the flaming chop!
Chris Panzer also gets a taste of Bombay’s flaming chop
One of PWR Live’s most epic moments came when Bombay had both Ken Warren and Chris Panzer on separate corners. He lit up both Ken Warren and Chris Panzer with his signature flaming hand chop. The fans were astonished at Bombay’s fiery act that it drew a ‘holy s***’ chant throughout the covered court. Bombay climbed up the top rope to perform an impressive splash on Ken Warren. However, as he got to his feet, Panzer was there to catch him with another spinebuster. Chris Panzer attempted his own aerial feat on the ring corner but Bombay caught him and sent him crashing with a bodyslam off the top rope. Bombay Suarez made his ascent to the ropes, but it would be Panzer that would stop him as well. Panzer tried to deliver a superplex from the turnbuckle, but the PHX Champion swooped in to attack. He set Panzer up for a powerbomb, while Panzer still had Bombay in his grasps, and all three went down with the ‘tower of doom’ combo from the corner. Ken Warren was fast to recover from the move and dropped Panzer with the fameasser. Warren followed up with the ‘Googlebuster’ (Sitout Gourdbuster) on Chris Panzer for the pin, but Bombay broke it up. Bombay slammed Warren to the mat with a powerful sit-out facebuster to keep the PHX champion down. Bombay, however, ate boot as Chris Panzer leveled him with the Panzerschreck! Ken Warren recovered just in time to slam Panzer to the mat with a Side Russian Legsweep. Panzer and Warren fought their way to the outside of the ring where the latter slammed Panzer face first onto the steel steps. Bombay Suarez crash landed on both men with a planca. Bombay Suarez punished the PHX Champion on the outside with some hard clubs before sending him crashing onto the steel steps. Bombay attempted to suplex Ken Warren on the hard floor, but the PHX champ blocked the attempt and suplexed his challenger instead!
This won’t end well…
Panzer is going for the frog splash
The action went back to the ring in the final moments as both Bombay and Panzer team up to deliver a double suplex on Ken Warren. Bombay followed the offense up, taking Panzer by surprise with a double underhook sitout powerbomb. Bombay soared to the top and delivered a double flying legdrop on both Panzer and Warren. Bombay blasted Ken Warren with the Kick of the Day. Panzer yet again delivered the Panzerschreck on Bombay Suarez before he went to the top rope. Panzer connected with a frog splash on Ken Warren, but the Royal Flush’s John Sebastian bolted to ringside and attacked Panzer with a cane. Joey Bax tried to interfere as well, but Bombay sprayed him with some green mist on the face. Bombay grabbed a dazed Ken Warren and connected with the Bombshelter. He pinned the Social Media Sinister for the 1-2-3!
Bombay and his two belts
Bombay became the new PWR PHX champion. The B*tch Killer grabbed the mic and thanked the fans for watching the night and for their support. Mr. Sy entered the ring and repeated Bombay that he TOO would like to thank everyone who came to PWR Live: Manila Mandess.
Overall Thoughts
PWR Live: Manila Madness was a hybrid of PWR’s recent Live Tours (iACADEMY’s Campus Week and in the Quezon Province) and its Main Shows that we see at the MCS Arena or at the iACADEMY auditorium. The Tanduay Covered court, as a wrestling venue, reminded me of the MCS atmosphere but albeit darker in terms of lighting and location. The crowd wasn’t as big as it was in the previous events and I know there were a couple of factors as to why. However, the wrestlers still performed at a 100%, regardless of how many people attended. Shout outs to the hardworking men and women of the Philippine Wrestling Revolution for putting up an amazing show yet again.
Quick Results:
Rederick Mahaba d. Chino Guinto via Disqualification
Beer Promdi (Kanto Terror and Mark D. Manalo) d. El Trabajadores via Pinfall
SANDATA d. Apocalypse via Countout
The Royal Flush (“Classical” Bryan Leo and Main Maxx) d. “The Senyorito” Jake De Leon and Ralph Imabayashi via Pinfall
MyPW Extreme Division Champion Bombay Suarez d. Ken Warren and Chris Panzer to WIN the PWR PHX Title via Pinfall on Ken Warren
WIM Photos by: Jonathan Guillermo and Martin Vicencio
