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Fight Club: PRO offers many things - a 5pm gathering at
Nandos beforehand, and a late night transition to the Giffard pub or Babylon club
afterwards - but where they excel is with their main content which in this case
they served up on the 29th of March under the title of A Fighting Chance. As
usual they promised a top night featuring reliable favourites with a side of
unpredictability for their unfolding drama. Their raw atmosphere has seen a
delivery on all of these promises before, yet the question remains, on this
occasion did it go off?
Tyler Bate vs. Daniel
Moloney
In what was a titled a Fight Club: PRO Dojo Rematch,
audiences saw two young upstarts from the promotion, each wanting to make
themselves known and embark on a bright career. The collision appeared to be a
mix of practice and review, getting used to operating in such an atmosphere and
perhaps under scrutiny from the match makers with regards to their future, but in
either event the fans embraced their efforts in what was a quick match up.
Receiving little in the way of unique music and each only donning black trunks,
they had only their presence and ability to rely on. There was no doubt that
the two were technically sound in the execution of their polished moves and
sequences. They also took their licks in that style that FCP likes to call
strong and British. Each also managed to bring in some impressive fresh
content, be it a Moloney combination or a Bate submission. Many moments were
well received with applause and an impressive German Suplex saw Bate take the
victory in what was a promising match up. There was no error big enough to
taint the match, however neither had yet found a presence that lives up to the
rest of the roster, though that is expected to develop in time and there are
glimmers of a future on the horizon for them. Impressive and promising are good
adjectives for an early match, and one looks forward to having their vocabulary
expanded.
The Hunter Brothers
vs. Mark Haskins & Chris Brookes
As the first bars of Glenn Frey’s The Heat Is On hit,
Tipton’s own Hunter Brothers are always well received by audiences. Mark Haskins isn’t so lucky, though his
partner Brookes shares favourable comparison to his fellow Tiptonites. All four
competitors have proven themselves in the past and the cards were set for a
good throwdown. It was Haskins that managed to steal attention quickly,
roughing up ring announcer Mark Adams before announcing himself as the main
attraction. He proceeded to veto himself as the legal man on grounds that he
had the flu and kept focus with his humorous antics, tending to himself with a
tissue and checking his temperature with a thermometer. Continuing to bring a unique
edge to the match, Haskins’ bad tactics turned more lethal, garnering a
negative reaction as he landed cheap shots wherever he could and demanded
Brookes do the same. An interesting dynamic came as Brookes refused such
demands and fell out with his partner over the course of the match. In between
that interaction came the strong wrestling associated with a Hunter Brothers
match, as the pair displayed their trademark tag team prowess with clever
teamwork and impressive maneuvers. Brookes too managed to show some good flurries
when not hampered by double teaming or his own partner. Haskins also put out a convincing
performance when he wasn’t doing a good job of disenchanting the gathered fans.
As things developed it was Brookes putting out Haskins that cost him the match
at the hands of a Tombstone Piledriver, bringing a satisfying conclusion to a
strong match. The Hunter Brothers again proved why they a reliable staple of
the FCP roster, while Haskins has come as a welcome addition to the fold, fitting
the role of antagonist well. Additionally, as one of the younger competitors,
Brookes is showing progress from his earlier appearance and put in possibly his
best FCP showing.
Dave Mastiff vs.
Clint Margera
Not simply for pride but for the right to cash in a title
opportunity whenever the challenger pleases. Margera had already earned that
right by winning a tournament, but Mastiff and his dominant streak demanded
such an opportunity. The chants of ‘Bastard’ towards Mastiff are actually more
endearing than they look on paper, yet Margera on the other hand is a perennial
fan favourite with lots of support for his efforts which came quickly as he
beat the bell and came out strong. Trademark roaring elbows were on display and
a dive to the outside before Mastiff’s strength took over and the back and
forth began. Mastiff gave more forth than he got back, but he needs not to land
a great deal of strikes, only to land one that looks like it could put down a
whale. Thusly, his offence is slow and merciless which establishes him as a
formidable force. Margera’s most attractive quality is his heart despite how he
is put down, and he is no stranger to enduring punishment. On the floor outside
the ring is a curb-like drop which is as unforgiving as it looks and to see him
land his back on it was one of those unbelievable moments. The crowd were hot
for the match, exchanging chants and cheers for their favourite as Mastiff and
Margera worked around each other. Margera’s dodges and brave fronts were a
sight to get behind, but the likes of a Turnbuckle Powerbomb and the always
impressive Cannonball Splash were enough to make Mastiff a number one contender
at his leisure. A dejected Margera left to applause in what was a hard fought
battle that the crowd was well behind.
Trent Seven vs. “Wild
Boar” Mike Hitchman
Looking to re-establish his ‘Super Don’ title, Seven put out
a British Strong Style challenge to any wrestler in the UK which allowed for
Mike Hitchman to make his FCP debut. Hitchman’s “Wild Boar” moniker comes with
good presence, as he hits the ring like an angry, spitting…. well boar. Tossing his water at the fans and pacing the
ring like an animal establishes him before he even wrestles. The two went at it
in the traditional strong style manner, which saw them trading tough blows and
then calling on the other to try and come back stronger. Chops, forearms and
headbutts were delivered as stiffly as the fans demanded and trade off was often
kept interesting. A highlight saw Boar put Seven through one of the metal
fences that surrounds the ring area and up to that point had endured so much
action. Seven returned in kind putting severe ware on another fence and leaving
MK with little choice as to which direction his trademark cannonball dive could
go in the main event. Seven shined with the personality that fans feel akin
with and following a close call from his Piledriver, he put down the Boar with
the most lariatest Lariat that ever lariated. He paid his respected to Boar
after the match and they were showered with deserved applause.
MK McKinnan vs. ???
The Fight Club: PRO championship holder was tasked with
little chance to prepare for his opponent, as the challenger would be picked at
random in the Fighting Chance draw. In a twist of fate an already battered Clint
Margera would be regifted his title shot. As the deathmatch specialist limped
up onto the Apron, MK jumped the bell and kicked him to the floor before
hitting his signature Cannonball Dive and rolling Margera in for what looked
set to be a quick victory. Margera’s heart prevailed though and a contest was
underway as the crowd carried the match loudly after splitting on their
commitment to a competitor. McKinnan was able to show off his attacking
flurries, but also added some memorable moves focusing on Margera’s injured
back. Margera put up a fight though, even managing to deliver a Swanton Bomb,
and as his trademark moves landed a clean title change was teased. It was a
match high on emotion with the surrounding fences shaking from the fan’s
excitement, and it closed in on a finish when a top rope Dropkick from McKinnan
missed Margera and knocked down the referee. In that moment, Margera’s previous
enemy T-Bone hit the ring to put out both competitors before leaving his
nemesis covering the champion. Departing with a smile, the referee stirred to
make the title change official. There was plenty of support for Margera but as
people dealt with the fallout, Mastiff hit the scene and called in his title
shot. Margera had the heart to kickout after a cannonball Splash but he didn’t
have enough will to endure a second barrage, leading to another title change. While
Mastiff departed as the new champion, fans were left in awe of the chain of
events they had witnessed. The atmosphere was electric and the unfolding of
drama perfect.
After a tremendous close to the show, fans should have
little question about attending FCP’s next event to see how things develop.
There are however many more things to remember A Fighting Chance for. From a
consistent showing of favourite wrestlers, to promising debuts from new and
fresh talents. There are match highlights still passing between friends in
conversation, and matches on record that the company can be proud. Five matches
for five pounds and none of it feels like a chore. As usual, not enough praise
can be given to Fight Club: Pro, so perhaps just a sincere thank you on this
occasion for a great night of entertainment and a consistently strong product.
The article writer can be found on
twitter, @DerrieCatton, and as always you can find Wrestling’s Last Hope at
http://facebook.com/WLH11
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