Magic – that’s how the atmosphere of Next Generation Wrestling in Newport, TN has been described and rightfully so. The shows that Cody Ford and Eddy Shepard are putting together feel like something out of a notebook full of ‘Dream Match Ups.’ This past Sunday’s show was no different as we made the trek for some insane NGDub action.
Alex Taylor vs. Shane Andrews: This was a hot opener with both guys hitting some nasty offense. Alex Taylor gets the win, which was a little bit of an upset as the crowd (myself included) thought Shane was gonna get the dub. Fun, back and forth action here.
AJ Gray vs. Ryan Dookie vs. Kenji Brea: The crowd was in an all out frenzy for Ryan Dookie from the jump. I mean they dug all three men but Dookie-mania was running wild in Newport. Kenji is an NGW staple while AJ is quickly making a name for himself up in the mountains. As in AJ was chucking mo fuckers around, which is always appreciated. Rich Homie Juice wins in another super fun matchup.
NGW Tag Title Match: The Boys vs. SBB vs. The Hendu Family vs. The Lynch Mob: This was madness. All four teams had their moments that included Kaden Sade getting some major air thanks to an assist from partner Mike Cobb and Biggs from SBB hitting that insane dive he busts out from time to time. The Boys flew around all majestic-like, which is to be expected. Joey Lynch went all KOTM, which I thought was gonna be enough, only for The Hendu Family to sneak out a win. Cobb and Sade win gold in a wild one.
Su Yung vs. Veda Scott: These ladies came to throw heat. This had big time strikes and scares. Veda’s NGW debut ends in a loss, but she took it to Su which that crowd appreciated. That’s two wins in a row for Su under the NGW banner.
Ultimo Dragon vs. Menace: You read that right. This happened and I loved it. Yes, Ultimo has slowed down (he’s 52 y’all), but there is still a grandiose aura about him. This was an old school, technical battle with a couple of serious submission attempts. It looked like Menace was gonna catch the legend slipping when out of nowhere Ultimo reverses into a pin. This was unbelievably cool to see live.
The Renegades of Flight vs. Rich Swann and Myron Reed: It’s really hard to put this match into words. The four men involved had everyone buzzing from the entrances alone. I mean, we knew we were gonna get something special and that we did. Facade and Jason Kincaid work so well as a team that the two really just flow from this to that. Throw in the pure insanity of Swann/Myron and there’s not gonna be much time to blink. The Renegades get the win but every minute of this match ruled. You’re gonna want to see this match when the show hits Highspots. Also, Facade’s mustache is sensational. He’s the ‘Neon Doc Holliday.’ I just felt like that needed to be said again.
Matt Cross vs. Tajiri: This was everything I wanted it to be. Two guys I immensely respect and have enjoyed watching for YEARS tearing it up. Tajiri is an absolute legend and if you hadn’t heard, the man can still go. What may be lost on some is just how good Matt Cross is. I feel like he’s sooooooooo underrated in the grand scheme of things. You know where he isn’t underrated? At NGW. This crowd absolutely loves him and it’s always a joy to see. This is another match to check out as the two did what you’d expect along with a couple of things you may not. MDogg takes advantage of the missed mist to get the win.
NGW Championship: Shane Strickland vs. Shaun Hoodrich – What a story. These two tore it the you know what down in the Finals of the NGW Championship Tourney last year. Strickland won that match to become the inaugural NGW Champ and Hoodrich has been not-so-patiently waiting for the rematch. When it came time, Hoodrich didn’t let the opportunity slip between his fingers. It took everything he had and an overtime period as the two initially fought to a time limit draw. The crowd wasn’t having it, so Cody Ford ordered the match restarted. Still, it seemed like Swerve was gonna be able to hold on until he ate a whale of a super kick from Hoodrich. The crowd went absolutely bonkers y’all. Hoodrich is your new NGW Champion.
With all the rumors/news/whatever you wanna call it saying Shane Strickland is heading to WWE, I want to take the time to thank him for all he’s done on the independent scene. I love Swerve in-ring and have had the pleasure of talking to him a couple of times. He’s 100% what I expected. A super cool dude that seems about as genuine as it gets. For all of this, I just wanna say thank you Swerve.
Another classic NGW show in the books y’all. Their next show in Newport is May 12th but they also announced a June 1 show in Rome, Georgia. That’s right! Next Gen is taking the show on the road and I’m all kinds of pumped up for them. I strongly suggest you catch NGW the next chance you get…there really is some kind of magic to their shows.
John Mosley is the independent wrestling and TV aficionado of the SoBros Network. He graduated from ETSU with a degree in Radio, TV and Film along with a minor in Film Studies. Since graduating he’s done pretty much nothing but watch, film, edit or commentate for local wrestling promotions and is the current color commentator for Resolute Wrestling. #Preds #Titans #DefendOrVacateConor Follow on Twitter: @SoBroMose.
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