1) Brodie Lee vs. Player Dos - Stage 1
The crowd was on Brodie's case from the get go here which immediately identified him as the heel. He played it very well as his gameplan wasn't to wow the crowd, it was simply to stop Player Dos/Stupefied from doing so. Dos hit a few high impact moves that reeled Big Rig early on however that would be it for awhile as Brodie grounded him and wore him down. The action would regain a high pace near the end though, which in turn earned Dos the victory. Pretty fun match! Also cool seeing these two lock up considering it's impossible for it to happen now with Brodie in WWE as Luke Harper.
Match rating - **3/4
2) Michael Elgin vs. Cloudy - The Next Level
Here we have another big man vs little man match up if you will. Once again, the bigger man, Elgin, is the heel. Guess the A1 fans love their underdogs! None the less, this one was formatted similar to Lee/Dos except Cloudy wasn't able to make the comeback that Dos was. Despite that, he did put in a valiant effort and the result was a decent encounter. Nothing remarkable though.
Match rating - **1/2
3) Player Uno vs. Ethan Page
The first venue change on this set happened here as we traveled to a match that took place outside. It was a nice change of pace, to say the least. That's the only thing really worth talking about here though. Aside from Page and the guy who accompanied to ringside shit talking a few fans, this was just a basic bout that didn't last too long. It was enjoyable while it lasted.
Match rating - **
4) Sonjay Dutt vs. Ethan Page - Proving Grounds 2
Now we get to some good stuff! After a few matches to start off the set that felt more like exhibitions than anything, Ethan Page & Sonjay Dutt got a fair amount of time to work and created a very entertaining match as a result. Everything here was well done, they created some great exchanges, and delivered some close falls near the end. All that combined together with Page's heel tactics being put on display with the finish as he used the ref to his advantage, made for the first standout match of the set. Good stuff.
Match rating - ***1/4
5) Zema Ion vs. Johnny Wave - Deadly Encounter
Ah, Zema Ion! This bout took place during his days on the Indies as "Shima Xion", before he got scooped up by TNA to wrestle on televis--- I mean, play a goofy DJ character on television. Thankfully, he wasn't making childish noises and taking selfies here, instead he was doing what he does best, wrestling. This was a fast paced match that featured some unique moves such as Wave going for a standing moonsault, but Zema catching him in a crossface. That alone makes this match worth a look, so cool! Fun X Division/cruserweight style exhibition here.
Match rating - **3/4
6) Kevin Steen vs. Jimmy Jacobs
Man, Steen really knows how to engage a crowd doesn't he? It's one of the factors that drew me to him back when I first saw him and every time I go back to watch a bout of his that I haven't seen before such as this one, I'm reminded of why I'm a fan. Seconds into this thing, he calls out a man in the front row wearing a Pokemon shirt. The difference between Steen doing things like that and other stars doing it, is that the crowd eats it up! So much so, that Jacobs almost became an afterthough here, but that would all change when he hit Steen with a spear on the apron that nearly ended the match. Steen powered through however and decided to return the favor by delivering a package piledriver to Jacobs on the ring apron. Solid match with a must-see finish from Steen.
Match rating - ***
7) Brodie Lee vs. Alessandro Del Bruno - Final Act II
This match really caught me off guard. I know how good Brodie is obviously, but I had never heard of Alessandro before hand and I honestly have no clue how I didn't because he was very impressive here. He reminded me alot of Speedball Mike Bailey in that he's not the biggest by any means however he's certainly resiliant and can hold his own. With that being said, Alessandro was clearly the underdog here and he & Lee portrayed the story extremely well. Spots like Alessandro flipping out of a chokeslam only to be chokeslammed from the apron to the inside the ring were a highlight of this bout as well. Great match.
Match rating - ***3/4
8) Super Smash Brothers vs. Checkmate - Final Act II
From the start, I knew this was gonna be awesome. Bishop & Knight came out swinging right out of the gate dropping Dos on his head with repeated back drop drivers. They continued this assault even when Uno got tagged in despite losing control for a moment as Uno just beat the shit out of Knight. Both teams seemed to target the back of the neck throughout the match and Checkmate kept the advantage for the most part until about 3/4 of the way through when things just turned into chaos. SSB not only hit the "GET OVER HERE!" but they also hit Fatality yet Bishop & Knight somehow stayed in this thing. That's not to discredit SSB though because they took alot of punishment during the closing sequence as well here as Dos once again got dropped on his head with a spike reverserana, among other things. This was a fantastic tag team match that really did wonders for Checkmate. It was my first time seeing them, but I could tell they came out of this match looking better than they went in. And beyond that, this bout made me want to look more into their work thanks to unique manuevers such as Bishop standing on his head on the top turnbuckle for several seconds before nailing a moonsault which Dos was set in place for by Knight. Awesome stuff here.
Match rating - ****
9) Brodie Lee vs. Michael Elgin - Final Act II
Damn, I should've just bought this entire show because not only was the previous match between SSB & Checkmate on it, the Brodie/Alessandro match was as well. This match continued the trend of great wrestling by providing fans with an absolute battle. To make things crazier, it started off with Brodie and Elgin trading hurricanranas! Never in my life did I think I would see that! None the less, it happened! I recently saw a match these two had in another Canadian promotion, C*4 Wrestling, and it blew me away. With that in consideration, I was really looking forward to these two locking horns again and this was certainly a fitting sequel. They hit some of the same spots, but they also nailed some new stuff such as Brodie hitting a wicked slam on Elgin on the floor. Really good, hard hitting match!
Match rating - ***1/2
10) Michael Elgin vs. Josh Alexander - Final Act II
The hits just keep on coming! I thought Brodie/Elgin was hard hitting, but maaan, this was a complete fucking slugfest. From the opening strike battle to the apron/floor spots to the repeated piledrivers that Alexander had to hit to put Elgin away, this was BRUTAL. I can't say much else. These two gave it all they had in this absolutely crazy slugfest. So much so that they were both left laying in the middle of the ring at one point with the fans chanting "Who needs Davey?" in reference to how Richards no-showed the event. This was a great match.
Match rating - ***3/4
Disc 2:
11) Cheech vs. Ashley Sixx - Last Man Standing Match - Stage 3
This was alot of fun. Kevin Steen was on commentary which is always a good time and Cheech & Sixx did a great job of providing fans with an extremely entertaining brawl. Trash cans were the only weapons used during the first half of the match however some good wrestling made up for the lack of weapon use. They used some good, not often done strategies to keep their opposing man down, but a huge spot in the form of Cheech diving off the balcony planting Sixx through a table would be what finally brought this one to an end.
Match rating - ***1/2
12) Michael Elgin vs. Josh Alexander vs. Brodie Lee - Stage 3
These three had some pretty kick ass singles matches together earlier in this set so I was pretty pumped to see them all in one ring. This was exactly what you would expect as it was simply, to take a word from JR, a slobberknocker!
Match rating - ***1/4
13) Josh Alexander vs. Mike Rollins - Immortal Kombat
A reoccuring theme on this set has been surprises and this was a big one. If you had told me to pick a match prior to watching this, that I thought would be the best on the set. This probably wouldn't have been on the top of the list simply because although I do like Alexander, my lack of knowledge on Rollins would keep me from having any expectations. Well, needless to say, what I thought prior doesn't matter because this was absolutely amazing. Josh Alexander was the champion who was once a fan favorite, but when he clashed with the hot up and comer Psycho Mike, that all changed, and we witnessed that in this match. The storytelling here was just phenomenal. I had no knowledge of the backstory and I didn't need to because it was all told in the ring along with the crowd reactions and commentary. Speaking of the commentary, Tommy Dreamer was the guest here and he added alot to the match as he pointed out both men's strategies and even gave them, along with the company, quite the rub. They certainly deserved it too, because this was perfectly executed. Alexander controlled alot of the match despite several flurries from Rollins. The problem was, he couldn't put Rollins away! Even the piledriver that put out Michael Elgin & Brodie Lee couldn't do it. The frustration of not being able to pick up the victory and the crowd turning on him was put on clear display here as the match got to its late stages. Rollins was over going into this match however I think I witnessed the true crowning of him as a star during this match as the entire audience was behind by the end of this thing thanks to his resilience. After he kicked out of the famed piledriver, Alexander locked him in a sharpshooter. The crowd doesn't want him to tap, hell, the commentators don't either. And apparently the roster doesn't because they come running down to the ring to show support as they beat on the ring apron. This just gets the crowd even more fired up as Rollins tries his damnest to reach the ropes. I got chills at this point when watching this. It was at this moment that I realized I was witnessing a lost classic. Psycho Mike ends up making his way to the ropes to break the hold. This one isn't close to being over! The battle continues for another five minutes or so as both men trade big moves and near falls. From an STO on the ring apron to a move that spiked Rollins' head on the floor which I saw as Alexander's last resort for a victory as he rolled back into the ring to try to get the count out. The roster rallied Rollins however and helped him get back into this thing as he got back into the ring for one final flurry before being hit with yet ANOTHER piledriver that finally put him away after an exhausting effort. Holy shit! That was EPIC. I don't normally detail a match like this, but I really felt the need to do so here because it was so great to watch. I LOVED how they booked the end of this match with the roster coming out because it really pushed this one over the top with emotion. If this isn't the best match in Alpha 1 history, I don't know what it is!
Match rating - ****1/2
14) Josh Alexander vs. Cheech - Ladder Match - Watch The Throne
After the last few Josh Alexander matches on this set, I was pumped heading into this one and it certainly delivered. Cheech has been one of the most consisent competitors on this set and he continued that trend here while Josh continued his run as the MVP of this DVD. These two put it all out there in this match with a ton of death defying spots. A brainbuster on the ring apron, a rusty nail/guillotine driver on the floor, a piledriver on the end of a ladder, Cheech kicking the ladder out from under Alexander which caused him to take a nasty spill to the mat. Great Ladder Match.
Match rating - ****
15) Josh Alexander vs. DH Smith vs. Tyson Dux - Our F.A.N.S.
This was the first of two matches/title defenses for Josh on this particular night. Therefore, it was expected that one might not last as long as the other and this was that one. It was action packed while it lasted though so I can't complain. DH Smith got his shit in here in his A1 debut and Alexander proved himself to be a worthy champion once again by coming out victorious. Solid little three-way bout.
Match rating - **3/4
16) Josh Alexander vs. Cheech vs. Mike Rollins - Tables Match - Our F.A.N.S
Considering the past meetings that Alexander has had with these two men, I was really looking forward to this. The stipulation caused some intrigue as well. Cheech was the first to go, but not before making his presence felt with a number of wild moves. They did some crazy stuff here like stacking a table on top of the turnbuckle and hitting a suplex off it. This is also what ended up eliminating Cheech as Rollins sent him crashing through a table off the top turnbuckle with a move similar to Sheamus' White Noise. This left the two men who created a classic just a few months prior to this match, to duke it out. Rollins and Alexander traded strikes on the ring apron before both fell through a table at the same time. The match continues and ventures up the entrance ramp where Alexander hits a piledriver on Rollins off the stage through a table. Super fun tables match!
Match rating - ***1/4
Disc 3:
17) BJ Whitmer vs. Ethan Page - 2012 King of Hearts Night One
This was nothing more than a basic singles encounter. They had less than 10 minutes to work with although they packed a good bit of action into that time. Despite that, it didn't tell much of the story and I couldn't get very invested in it. There a few nice exchanges such as some great suplexes from Whitmer and Page going for alot of his signature moves. Nothing very remarkable though, I think this was just included to highlight Whitmer's appearance and considering his notorioty in Indie Wrestling, I can't blame them for adding this to the set.
Match rating - **1/2
18) Checkmate (Lionel Knight & Christopher Bishop) vs. The Steady Ballers (Alex Vega & Brent B) - The Final Hurrah
Here we have another match involving Christopher Bishop & Lionel Knight, collectively known as Checkmate. Their other bout on this set against the Super Smash Bros was awesome and this was a worthy successor against the Steady Ballers. They displayed some unbelievable double team manuevers and jaw dropping athleticisim. Unlike their bout with SSB, this was the opening match of the particular show so they didn't get the same large amount of time, however they made the most of it. Wild tag match that solidified my belief that I need to check out more matches involving Checkmate, they're definitely a team to look out for!
Match rating - ***1/2
19) Ethan Page vs. Steve Brown - No DQ Match - Rehab
This was a pretty fun No DQ bout. Brown is a huge guy and they played off it quite well. Chairs and trashcan came into play while some interference would be the determing factor and we saw several tables get broken as well. Pretty solid contest.
Match rating - ***
20) Josh Alexander vs. Fire Ant - Rehab
As someone who recently got heavily into CHIKARA, I was excited to see Fire Ant making his A1 debut here against the guy who's been killing it on this set, Josh Alexander. This was another very competitive match from the Walking Weapon with both guys getting their signature stuff in. It's not on the level of some other of Alexander's bouts here however it's still a good outing.
Match rating - ***1/4
21) Ethan Page vs. Mike Rollins vs. RJ City vs. Cheech - Insanity
Basic action packed four-way here. I couldn't really get into it for whatever reason though. At this point, things were getting somewhat repetitive on the set with alot of matches having the same format. So, that's probably what kept me from getting invested in this one. I'm not a fan of the venue they changed too on this disc either. None the less, this was an entertaining for what it was. Ethan Page sneaks a victory with help in the form of a distraction from Leah Von Dutch.
Match rating - **1/2
22) Scotty O'Shea vs. Alessandro Del Bruno - TLC Match - Insanity
O'Shea and Del Bruno are two guys who deserve to be known by alot more people than they are. In my recent interest in the Canadian independent scene, O'Shea has stood out on all fronts while I just discovered Del Bruno on this set. With all that being said, this match was very good. Both guys took some big risks and took well advantage of the stipulation by using tables, ladders, and chairs throughout the bout.
Match rating - ***1/2
23) Josh Alexander vs. Alessandro Del Bruno - The Final Act
Del Bruno won me over earlier on this DVD by playing the perfect underdog against Brodie Lee and it's safe to say he did the same here against Josh Alexander. He kept hitting flurries yet the Walking Weapon would shut him down. Alessandro kept fighting though and as a result got the crowd on it's feet. This match was almost all positives with both men bumping EXTREMELY well for each other and several insane spots taking place. Plus the story was great and brought me to the edge of my seat on several occassions. The only negatives are that some spots didn't get the response or acknowledgment that I felt they should have. The piledriver type move on the apron from in the ring and a running knee from Del Bruno that turned Alexander inside out, in particular. Those were two moments that I felt could have kicked this match into high gear earlier than it did, but the fans didn't react as well as I expected and the commentators didn't get too excited about it either. If things would have kicked into that next gear at that point, we would have been looking at possibly a four star match. I don't want that to overshadow what these two men did in the ring though because aside from a minor slip up in the opening moments, this was done flawlessly, in my opinion. Both guys were perfect in their role and the action was nuts.
Match rating - ***1/2
24) Josh Alexander vs. Trent? vs. Eric Cairnie - Watch The Throne II
Pretty fun three way match here. There's not much that can be said about matches like this unless you go through and name cool exchanges that took place so I'll keep this one fairly short. It was good action from start to finish with Trent looking extremely well and Cairnie picking up a big victory.
Match rating - **3/4
25) Ethan Page vs. Johnny Gargano - Alpha Male Championship Match - Watch The Throne II
With the buzz a match these two had in AIW created, I was looking forward to seeing this encounter even though it's not the one I've heard alot about. Page was the champion here and I'd say it was a big test for him considering Gargano's track record. The two men traded momentum throughout the match, with neither guy really getting a clear cut advantage. One would have control for a few minutes then the other would fight back and take control. There was a great exchange near the end that featured various kicks and Gargano reversing the headshot which led to a stalemate between the two. I liked some of the reversals they did here and how they teased signature moves early on only to build towards hitting them later. Overall, this was a solid match and a nice win for Page.
Match rating - ***
Overall thoughts: As a new fan of Alpha 1, I enjoyed this set. The last half of the first disc and the second disc are phenomenal. From Brodie/Alessandro to SSB/Checkmate to the Ladder match between Alexander & Cheech, it's all high quality stuff. And I can't forget to mention the gem of the entire set, a classic between Josh Alexander and Mike Rollins. If you don't get this set, I'd definitely recommend atleast getting the show that macth was on because it was amazing. The quality took a slight step down on the third disc as all the matches kind of felt the same with nothing really standing out however they weren't duds by any means. There's enough great stuff here to earn a recommendation from me. I'd say the main reason to buy this set is for Josh Alexander. Just about every match he had on here is well worth checking out as several of them reached and exceeded a ***3/4 rating. Beyond the Walking Weapon, I also discovered a few new talents that I'd recommend keeping an eye out for. Those being Alessandro Del Bruno and the tag team Checkmate. Del Bruno is awesome at what he does and I'm surprised isn't booked more widely across the Independent scene. If you like underdogs with an impressive moveset, give him a look. And Checkmate is just a kick ass tag team. Their match with the Super Smash Bros was one of my favorites of the entire set and their match on Disc 3 was a ton of fun with alot of innovative manuevers put on display. So, overall, this was a good set and was well worth the $20 I paid for it. If you're interested in Alpha 1 and want to do some catching up before jumping into their more recent shows, I'd say this is the way to go.
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