PWG: DDT4 2013 Review

PWG DDT4 2013 Review

I started watching PWG just one month after this event and I'm finally getting around to checking it out. I should be ashamed of myself because it's El Generico's final night in PWG which is a landmark moment in the company. None the less, I've got the show so let's get into it! The Super Smash Bros are the champions going into the tournament and they are putting their titles on the line during it just like The Young Bucks have done in the past. It's going to be a tough task for SSB to come out of this show as champions, but they've proven themselves many times before. It's sure to be a wild event!

1) The Young Bucks vs. Ricochet & Rich Swann - First Round Match
With the names involved, I expected this to be absolutely nuts and that's exactly what it was. It was one hell of a way to open the show as we got alot of nonstop high flying action that these two teams are known for. To my knowledge, this was the first time Ricochet & Swann teamed up in PWG and it was certainly a memorable affair. Great opening match.

Match rating - ***1/2

2) Super Smash Bros (c) vs. Michael Elgin & Brian Cage - First Round Match
I really enjoyed this one. There was never a dull moment and we got several "holy shit" moments thanks to the Unbreakable F'N Machines' alway impressive strength. The action never slowed down until near the end when Player Dos dove to the outside and dislocated his shoulder. It was a cringeworthy sight as he was unable to get it back in place so it hung limp for the remainder of the match so Stupified had to do the majority of the work himself. The power of Elgin & Cage was too much for him however and we have NEW PWG World Tag Team Champions! This was a very good match. If Stupified hadn't got hurt, this one was on it's way to a much higher rating.

Match rating - ***1/4

3) Adam Cole & Kyle O'Reilly vs. Eddie Edwards & Roderick Strong - First Round Match


So far we've gotten a highflying spotfest, a powerhouse filled match, and now comes time for the pure wrestling & striking side of things with this match. All four of these guys are known mainly for their wrestling, but they let their funny side come out multiple times during this match which made for a nice change of pace. The action here was off the charts as these two teams garned a "This is Awesome" chant from the audience. Great match.

Match rating - ***3/4

4) Kevin Steen & El Generico vs. The Briscoes - First Round Match
This bout was pretty short. Considering the classics these two teams have had, this COULD be viewed as disappointing, but this is just a first round match and the storytelling here between Steen & Generico was on point so I'm not complaining. Fun while it lasted.

Match rating - ***

5) Michael Elgin & Brian Cage (c) vs. The Young Bucks - Semi Final Round Match
The Bucks immediately began working over Cage's leg here and they kept him isolated for the majority of this match. However, Elgin finally got tagged in and began cleaning house. I loved how this one was built up because once Elgin got tagged in, it felt like an explosion because of how long it was teased. The second half of this match was crazy as both teams began hitting each other with everything they had. Very good match!

Match rating - ***3/4

6) Kevin Steen & El Generico vs. Adam Cole & Kyle O'Reilly - Semi Final Round Match
I was really pumped for this one because I'm a massive fan of O'Reilly and I've never seen him face off with Generico. Unfortunately they didn't get alot of interaction here, but when they did it was great. This was much like Steen & Generico's match with the Briscoes earlier in the evening. It was pretty short and straight to the point. No build up, no story, just action. It's nothing special, although it's enjoyable none the less.

Match rating - **3/4

7) B-Boy vs. Willie Mack
This wasn't as good as I expected. It had it's moments such as both guys just slugging it out and B-Boy playing a great heel, but other than that nothing stood out. I can understand why they didn't try to go all out here though. The other non tournament match on the card is of higher importance so they didn't want to steal any of their thunder. Decent little match although they never really grasped my full attention.

Match rating - **1/2

8) Sami Callihan vs. Drake Younger - KO or Submission Only Match - Match Two in a Best of Three Series for #1 Contendership to the PWG World Title
Callihan and Younger did it again! After tearing the house down with a stiff, brutal match at Mystery Vortex in December 2012, these two guys gave fans another match to remember. The brutality here was one notch above their previous match as there were no disqualifcations here so both guys were able to do more. Some standout moments include Callihan slamming Drake off the stage onto chairs and Drake hitting a michinoku driver on Callihan on the ring apron. Alot of chairs were used here for a variety of cringeworthy spots. These two even just stood in the ring and beat the shit out of each other with them at one point. Crazy, awesome match!

Match rating - ****

9) The Young Bucks (c) vs. Kevin Steen & El Generico - Final Round Match
Before the bell even rang, the action began as both teams brawled around the ringside area and even used chairs to assault each other. The bout finally gets back in the ring after some lengthy action on the outside. This was an enjoyable match although we've seen these two teams have much better matches in the past. Despite not being on the level of their classic from 2009, this one saw shades of it as Steen ate a bunch of superkicks, but refused to go down. The Bucks win via roll up.

Match rating - ***1/2
After the match, Generico put his hand out to Steen, but Steen refused to shake it and walked out of the ring. Generico turns and begins to wave to the crowd as Steen comes back into the ring and hugs him. I get chills every time I watch that moment. Steen gets on the mic and says "Just know that where ever you go, wherever you end up, I would be nothing without you, thank you." Soon the rest of the PWG roster comes to the ring along with Excalibur & Roderick Strong from commentary. Ricochet, Sami Callihan, Drake Younger, The Briscoes, Adam Cole, Kyle O'Reilly, Michael Elgin, everybody. All the guys gather around Generico in the center of the ring as the crowd chants "WE LOVE YOU! WE LOVE YOU!" This is why I love PWG. It's like a family. After Generico hugs just about everyone, he gets on the mic and gives one of the most emotional farewell speeches I've ever seen. "This will always be my home. You will always be my family. I will never forget what you've done for me, I love you." This was one of the greatest moments in PWG history and is reason enough for you to buy this DVD.

Overall thoughts: I watched an interview with PWG referee Rick Knox a few days ago and he mentioned how people will call a PWG show "subpar" if it doesn't feature several 4 star or higher matches when in reality, their "subpar" shows are still good shows especially when compared to the majority of other Indy companies around today. I think that perfectly describes the match quality of this show because I've heard several people say this wasn't a good show, but I disagree. This was a good show. It's not one of those mindblowing shows that PWG spoils us with on a regular basis. There were no MOTY candidate bouts, but it featured enjoyable matches throughout the evening and Generico's farewell is must see so I recommend picking up this show.

Thanks for reading and be sure to follow me on Twitter @EthanPWT and this blog @ThePWTruth!