Jersey Championship Wrestling: J-Cup Part 1
Saturday, February 11, 2023
White Eagle Hall
Jersey City, New Jersey
First Round: Alex Shelley vs. Jordan Oliver
The two shook hands and hugged to start the match, Shelley had a hand in training, Jordan Oliver, along with the late Jimmy Rave. Shelley got Oliver tied up in the ropes then he slapped him on his ass as they reset and locked up again. The two battled for control with Jordan Oliver getting the best of the exchange this time; they once again reset and started exchanging holds with Oliver grounding Shelley with a deep headlock. Shelley fired back up with a big shoulder tackle that took down Oliver, Oliver tried to duck under the advancing Shelley but Shelley dropped down and locked in the Boarder City stretch for a near submission. Oliver made it to the ropes but Shelley hung onto his wrist and locked him in a couple of more submissions where Shelley focused on Oliver’s arm. Oliver escaped Shelley’s grasp and started a sequence of near pinfalls and evasions that brought the crowd to their feet. Despite the damage to his arm, Oliver was able to hit Shelley with a backbreaker which swung the momentum in his direction. Most of Oliver’s offense was focused on the lower back and chest of Alex Shelley, Oliver went for the Cleopatra but Shelley blocked it and took Oliver out with a running double knee. Shelley allowed Jordon some time to recover before he once again turned his attention back to Oliver’s arm. Shelley hit Jordan with a pair of chops, he went for a third but Oliver moved out of the way causing Shelley to hit his hand on the ring post. Oliver briefly beat Shelley down before Shelley drove Oliver’s head into the ring post and then stomped his elbow on the apron. Shelley locked in a crossface, Oliver tried to get to the ropes but Shelley dragged him back into the center of the ring. The crowd rallied around Jordan in the closing moments as they exchanged stiff forearms and chops in the center of the ring. Shelley ran wild with chops and attempted to wring Oliver’s arm but Oliver cut him off with a chop sending both exhausted men to the mat. Oliver got to his feet first and ran wild with some more chops, he sent Shelley to the floor after a series of kicks and wiped him out with a tope. Oliver connected with a big boot in the corner, followed by an attempted Batista Bomb, Shelley got out of it and started back on Oliver’s arm. Shelley reversed a Batista bomb into a facebuster followed by a super kick into an emerald flowsion for a nearfall, Shelley and Oliver exchanged fire before Oliver caught Shelley with a strike and rolled him up with a small package for the victory. An absolutely incredible match to start off this tournament.
Jordan Oliver Defeated Alex Shelley
First Round Match: 6 Man Scramble: Marcus Mathers vs. Yoya vs. Dante Leon vs. Dlyn McKay vs. Cole Radrick vs. Grim Reefer
Jack Cartwheel wasn’t able to make it to the show so in his spot, the winner of the 2006 J-Cup, Grim Reefer. The place lost it when his music hit and justifiably so. Reefer and Mathers cleared the ring and started off the match with a brief exchange of strikes, Mathers hit him with a Lionsult which caused Cole Radrick to enter the match, Radrick got the advantage on Mathers hitting him with a drop kick followed by a hidden blade. Mathers went to the floor and Yoya took his spot, quickly getting the advantage over Radrick with a series of arm drags and strikes. Leon was in next with Dyln McKay, McKay ran wild on Leon with a couple of kicks to the chest followed by a dive to the floor that was interrupted by Grim Reefer who cut him off and lit up a joint. He offered the joint to McKay but Mathers jumped Reefer from behind and yelled “he’s straightedge.” Reefer turned his attention to the outside where he ran the ropes and hit a plancha all while smoking a joint. Leon sent Yoya to the floor where he took everyone out with a springboard Tornillo. McKay planted Mathers with a destroyer and climbed to the top rope and hit a twisting dive, he followed that up with a shooting star press onto Yoya, Mathers broke that p with a 450 and Leon broke up that pin attempt with a spiral tap. Reefer planted Mather’s with a piledriver, he went to the top rope but Leon cut him off with a tower of London. Cole Radrick pinned Dlyn McKay with Lil Sebastian’s Curse for the victory.
Cole Radrick won the Scramble
First-Round Match: Alec Price vs. Blake Christian
Before they could touch, Christian bailed to the floor which caused a brief “Blake’s a bitch” chant, Christian returned to the ring and it looked like they were going to lock up but Christian kept bailing to the floor; once they eventually did lock up Christian had the advantage for a while, working over Alec with some chops and strikes. Alec attempted a stomp but Blake caught his foot and shot him off the ropes, Price lured Christian into the corner where he was able to get the advantage with a running knee strike. Price’s control over the match didn’t last long as Blake chop blocked him and started to go to work on Price’s legs, Christian caught Price on the top rope and took him back into the ring with an ugly Dragon Screw leg whip. Price fired back up and hit Christian with a series of big boots followed by a top rope leg drop for a close nearfall. Christian hung Price up in the ropes and hit him with a springboard 450 for another close near fall, the crowd was firmly behind Price throughout the match, Christian briefly got them on his side when he hit an Arabian Press to the floor but quickly crotch chopped the crowd causing them to turn on him again. Christian hit the ref which caused Price to get a visual pinfall, Christian hit Price with a low blow and his finisher for the victory.
Blake Christian Defeated Alec Price
First Round: Starboy Charlie vs. Joey Janela
The two exchanged holds to start the match, with Starboy briefly getting the advantage over Joey. Joey was able to escape Starboy and started to work him over with a series of kicks and strikes. Starboy was able to fire up and took Joey down with a dropkick to the face followed by a standing shooting star press. Starboy slowed down the match with an armbar but Joey used his strength and powered out of it and hit him with a couple of shoulder strikes in the corner. Starboy attempted a top rope rana but Joey caught him and planted him with a sit-out powerbomb. Joey followed that up with a delayed brainbuster and a couple of chops to the much smaller Starboy’s chest. Starboy fired up and sent Joey to the floor and wiped him out with a big cross body, Starboy dragged Joey back into the ring where they began trading strikes and chops. Starboy went for a Phoenix Splash but Joey got his knees up and planted him with Death Valley Driver for a near fall. Starboy took his overall straps down and Joey hit him with a couple of thudding chops, Starboy attempted a couple of his own but they barely registered for Janela. Starboy was able to cut off Joey’s momentum with a superkick followed by a bulldog for another close near fall. The two men traded fists on their knees before Joey brought Charlie back up to his feet, they exchanged German Suplexes, Starboy got the best of the exchange and connected with a twisting splash but Joey kicked out at 2. Starboy went to the top rope but Joey cut him off with a forearm followed by a superplex into a tombstone piledriver but it still wasn’t enough to put Charlie away. Starboy planted Joey with a spike DDT followed by a crossface, Joey was able to make it to the ropes breaking the hold, but Starboy didn’t let up as he started stomping away at Janela’s back. They fought on the apron and Janela planted Charlie with a package piledriver followed by a double stomp for the victory.
Joey Janela Defeated Starboy Charlie
First-Round Match: Lio Rush vs. Tony Deppen
Tony backed Lio up in the corner and paint brushed his face, they then went into some chain wrestling, and Deppen once again backed Lio up in the corner and hit him with a stiff forearm. Lio Rush did his usual spiderman evading thing, the crowd got into it but it’s kind of old hat at this point especially when there are guys on the GCW roster and on National TV that do Lio’s stuff better than he does. Tony Deppen jumped to the outside but his foot got caught on the new ring apron and a silence followed a tremendous ripping noise. It was hilarious. Deppen kicked Lio in the face and grounded him with a code breaker that resulted in a close near fall, Deppen kept toying with Lio which caused the smaller man to get upset. Lio connected with a couple of strikes to Lio’s jaw and Deppen returned fire with a handful of his own; Lio hit Deppen with a couple of clubbing blows to his ear which briefly stunned Deppen, Deppen went to the apron but was caught with a reverse handspring followed by a tope. Lio planted Deppen in the center of the ring with something but Deppen was able to kick out. Lio went to the top rope but Deppen rolled to the apron, Deppen then jumped Lio with a couple of shots to the back of his head. Both men were relying on each other’s body weight to keep them on their feet, Deppen mustered up enough strength to hit Lio with a facebuster but Lio again kicked out. Deppen caught Lio in the face with a strike followed by two running knee attacks, Deppen went for a third but Lio cut him off with two consecutive spears in a row. Deppen went for another knee attack but Lio moved out of the hit Deppen in the head and connected with a Frog Splash for the victory.
Lio Rush Defeated Tony Deppen
First-Round Match: Charles Mason vs. Billie Starkz
Charles and Billie battled on the floor, Starkz had control for a little bit but Mason shoved her into the ring post and dragged her around ringside by her hair. Starkz was able to connect with a head kick that laid Mason out on the apron, Billie went for a Swanton but Mason moved out of the way causing Billie to crash and burn on the hardest part of the ring. Mason continued to choke and beat down Billie. Mason planted Billie with a vicious Death Valley Driver, but Billie fired back up and hit Mason with a series of German Suplexes, Billie attempted a dive to the floor but Mason spit water in her face and then DDT’d her on the apron, he continued to toy with her locking in a top rope sleeper hold, she broke his grip by biting his fingers and hit him with an Assault driver on the apron, Mason’s ribs hit the side of the apron as they both tumbled to the floor. They traded forearms in the center of the ring with Mason getting the best of the situation but scoop-slamming Billie twice she fired back up each time and delivered more strikes to Mason’s head. Billie hit Mason with a Gory Special followed by a Swanton Bomb but Mason caught her in a sleeper hold she was able to get to the ropes, he locked it in again and transitioned it into a spinning piledriver for the victory.
Charles Mason Defeated Billie Starkz
First Round Match: Komander vs. Arez
Arez flipped Komander off at the start of the match before they got into their excellent Lucha-based offense and reversals. Arez had Komander locked in the pendulum hold, Komander snaked his way through it and executed the hold on his own. Komander stumbled a little bit on the ropes but regained himself and planted Arez with a spinning arm drag; they played a game of cat and mouse throughout the opening minutes of the match with Komander getting the best of the situation. Komander seemed to be having an off night as he wasn’t as fluid as he usually is but he still managed to pull off his usual rope walking-based offense. Komander cut off Arez’s momentum with a running drop kick followed by a rope walk into tope that took Arez out on the floor. Komander slid Arez back into the ring and connected with a beautiful shooting star press but it wasn’t enough to put Arez away. Arez fired back up and took Komander out with an arm drag into a back breaker but Komander kicked out again. Arez connected with a couple of stiff chops in the corner before he placed Komander up on the top, Komander pushed him off the top and hit his rope walk plancha which caused the entire audience to erupt. Komander hit a slingshot destroyer into a rope walk springboard Phoenix splash for the victory. These two are absolutely incredible to watch live, the way that Komander floats in the air is something that can only be seen to be believed.
Komander Defeated Arez
First-Round Match: Mike Bailey vs. Jonathan Gresham
The opening moments of the match saw both men going for broke, with both of them looking for their finishers. They stood off in the center of the ring and traded strikes, SPeedball fired up by hitting his Speedball kicks, and Gresham went to the apron to try and recover but he was hit with a boot followed by a triangle moonsault, somehow Gresham was able to pick Bailey’s ankle and locked in an ankle lock on the floor. Eventually, Bailey made it back inside the ring with his ankle still in Gresham’s arms but Gresham eventually broke the hold after Speedball flung him into the ropes. Gresham fired back up quickly and started to work over Speedball’s legs and chest, Bailey grounded Gresham with a series of kicks followed by a running shooting star press that resulted in a two count. They started slapping each other in the face, they tumbled to the floor where Gresham regained control of Speedball’s ankle. Speedball connected with a head kick, he went for his moonsault double knees but Gresham moved out of the way, Gresham hit him with a stiff forearm but Bailey fired back up and hit Gresham with a penalty kick to end that sprinting sequence. Both men struggled to get to their feet as they re-engaged in their forearm and chop battle, Bailey was able to get the advantage as he peppered Gresham with multiple stiff kicks to the chest, Gresham did his best to power through the pain but he dropped to one knee and invited another kick from Bailey. Gresham kept eating the kicks to the chest as they seemingly gave him more strength, Gresham planted Bailey with a driver for another close near fall. Speedball got back up to his feet and took aim at the former Ring of Honor World Champion, they once again traded kicks and chops in the center of the ring; Gresham picked Bailey’s leg and started to drive his knee into the canvas before locking in the figure four. Speedball spent a long time in the hold before he eventually made it to the ropes, he had trouble getting back up to his feet after all the damage that was inflicted. Gresham dragged him up and laid in a couple of stiff forearm strikes to Bailey’s chest, Gresham sent Bailey to the floor and took him out with a tope. He went for another one but Bailey hopped up onto the ropes and connected with a beautiful moonsault press. Bailey went for the ultimate weapon but his knees gave out which gave Gresham the chance to hit him with another forearm, Gresham went for a Shooting Star Press and, Bailey moved out of the way and hit the Flamingo Driver for the victory.
Mike Bailey Defeated Jonathan Gresham
