Northeast Wrestling Report 11/9: Kenny Omega vs. Fenix

General
1

Originally published at https://www.postwrestling.com/2018/11/10/northeast-wrestling-report-11-9-kenny-omega-vs-fenix/

Event: Northeast Wrestling in Poughkeepsie, NY

Venue: Mid-Hudson Civic Center

Submitted by: Mitch from New Jersey

The was my first time attending anything other than a WWE event or an ROH/Impact PPV. It was as Indy as I’ve got and was surprised how full the show was. Interesting how times have changed: Kenny had a meet and greet towards the back of the venue near the stage while Mick Foley was in the lobby. At the start of the show I’d say 75% full and by the 3rd match or so nearly 85-90 full. Surprisingly a lot of kids who seemed to know a lot of the guys on the card.

The show opened with a hot 6-man ladder match. The most over guy was Man Scout who the crowd seemed to know and really get behind. He came out with a tent which then was used in a big falling tower spot with all the guys crashing into the tent in the ring. There was a good big man Wrecking ball everyone works well off and the winner Hale was a local wrestler from Poughkeepsie. My friend knew him and says he trains David Arquette. Everyone worked well and considering all the spots hit, they were all clean and looked good. I expected this to be more reckless and rather enjoyed it.

The women’s match represented the worst of women’s wrestling and wrestling in general. The “Asian Invasion” vs a stripper. This was divas level bad and I have never seen a wrestler with the ass of the girl who won. This was the first awkward/bad finish of the night.

The third match features the two Kings. To be honest I left for this match to meet a fellow POST Patreon, David. That was cool! I’m not sure but Arquette may have come out for this. Either way, I did not want to see King wrestle. It’s wrong for promoters to book this guy given his health.

PCO got a nice reaction and pulled off some great spots against the NEW champion who felt like a Tazz character. I had a hard time buying their champion being billed as Big Bacon. PCO hit a pretty nice suicide dive and later a moonsault. This finish was awkward when the ref was lame with the three count and it wasn’t obvious the match ended.

Pentagon was super hot and controls an audience with his taunt all match. My only issue with him is how snug and hard hitting all his moves look and that a guy the size of Darby Allin shouldn’t be kicking out of all of them. Penta really destroyed this kid and I felt bad by the end of the match how beat up he seemed. Penta got in like 90% of the offense and it was a great showcase for him.

RVD and Swagger was an awful Raw TV match and seemed like a total waste. The crowd heckled this and RVD seemed to be very into himself. There was not a lot here and Swagger looked bored and not into it. Complete waste and the crowd cooled off after being very hot for Pentagon.

Kenny and Rey Fenix were incredible. I’m sorry I can’t do the match justice with a good recap of moves but this match has everything and being there live aside, I enjoyed it more than his match with Pentagon. Kenny got in his stuff which I loved getting to see live, and there was a crazy Spanish fly spot that the crowd went nuts for. There was also a big spot through a table to the outside. These guys didn’t hold back and delivered a tremendous main event.

After Kenny spoke and really seemed anti-NJPW. While repeatedly saying his loved NJPW and the country, he blamed them for not coming to the Northeast yet and said he wanted to bring this part of the world a taste of the IWGP heavyweight champion and have a dream match with one of the best non-New Japan wrestlers. It did seem like he really wanted to emphasize people weren’t happy he took the booking but he did this on his own. It’s not letting me upload the video of this but I got the post-match speech in full.

1 Like
2

The big ass woman in that match is Katie Forbes. RVD’s new girl.

3

:joy::joy: Penta. “You gotta protect the business, Brother.” Great job, Mitch!!

3 Likes
4

Penta vs Darby was basically what I think would happen if Alabama ever played a professional NFL team.

Penta was a grown ass man destroying a little boy

He goes to his taunt too much even tho the crowd bites for it every time and it’s fun to chant along.

I need a Penta-Ishii match in my life.

1 Like
6

Awesome report MJ! “Dave” Mondocurry here, with a few takeaways from the event. First off, it was great to meet (the) Elite, meet meet (the) Elite member of the Post Wrestling Cafe, MJ from NJ in person!

During the women’s match, neither wrestler was very sympathetic. But Karen Q definitely came off a bit likable. Which was unfortunate because she was playing the heel, while Katie Forbes was doing a very outdated and ineffective job of babyface with an act that won zero people over.

Before the finish, PCO went for a Swanson-Like flip off the top turnbuckle toward floor, which missed. On the way down his body smacked the ring apron before landing on the floor. Not sure if that helped the fall or was unintentional but it was nauseatingly nasty looking.

I heard later that indeed David Arquette, as well as Mick Foley, made run ins to steer the course of the Lawler match.

RVD VS Swagger was sub-tv match level bad, like something was up or went wrong in the lead up to it. for an eternity they took turns posturing, R-V-D, We The People, scale turnbuckle, tease lockup…Van Dam actually went to the floor before any wrestling took place, save for his leg takedown handstand pin attempt thing, and spent another eternity looking under the ring for a steel chair allowing Swagger to hit him from behind to attempt to get some heat. They ended up on the ramp at one point. Swagger did not do a single one of his moves. One credit to the match was getting me to question the line between real and scripted when Swagger went over to the timekeepers’ table and trashed it post-match. The part of me that would think this an obvious set up for an angle was countered by the question ‘how could this company want to work with him ever again after this showing??’

Loved both Pentagon VS Allin and and Fenix VS Omega. The counters involving Omega’s various suppler and One Wing Angel attempts were brilliant. Omega was truly phenomenal in the ring.

As for his post-match promo, i was left scratching my head a bit. He started by saying some people wouldn’t be happy about something, i think the fact that he was here for an event that was non-NJPW. And…he could’ve been directing this at NJPW officials, as NJFMJ mentioned, but i thought he aimed this at “some fans.” He then said he is not sure when NJPW would be making its way to this area, which i also found confusing, because i thought that was pretty clear… April of 2019, Wrestlemania weekend??

I wonder how much of this should be read into, and how much is just Kenny’s schtick, for lack of a better word. Thinking about his promos in general, it seems like there always has to be this opposition being referenced, “some fans and their internet comments” or whatever, before launching into the “but we don’t need to worry about them” part. I have to wonder if his promos would come off better if he didn’t address these so-called detractors. I don’t think there’s one thing in wrestling that doesn’t have its share of fans and those who are not into it, alike. He is almost universally looked upon as the best in the world right now, so it just feels a bit overly self-defensive.

That wondering aside, those two matches and the chance to see PCO in action were good draws. The Mid Hudson Civic Center was a perfect venue for wrestling. My returning to a Northeast Wrestling event would be contingent on them booking 2-3 really strong matches like these two tonight.

1 Like
7

I couldn’t agree more with Dave, and it was very cool to meet you! Thank you for the gracious words! My ego needed it :smirk:

Re: Kenny’s promo, I have the whole thing on video but don’t know how to post it as it says the file is too big. Considering this was probably off air, it was very curious indeed. ROH/NJPW had a show in Buffalo that night, and with the MSG show booked it seems he was ranting about something imaginary. Unless he has had this feeling festering and there’s more to it. My read into it is he’s priming fans and the wrestling community for not being tied to one promotion and working where he wants when he wants.

I love Kenny and he’s had a major impact on my love for Wrestling these past few years but he does give incredibly awkward promos to close shows. This isn’t the first time he repeated himself at length basically saying the same thing 2 or 3x. Then again, I’d stumble like a bumbling bafoon if I went thru the physical effort he did and then cut a promo.

8

Youtube and link here?

9

That would imply I know how to YouTube PostMaster! :man_facepalming:

Update: I figured it out

2 Likes
10

Just catching up now after a the loop de loop that was Smackdown tonight. I could hear on the recording now, very first mention was of a very vague “some” and does seem that it could very well be directed at NJPW management. To which i do wonder if there’s legit conflict or just his way of making himself into the folk (anti) hero to get over.

I think this situation where The Elite and others can be successful as are agents is pretty fantastic, but at the same time… part of me does imagine if these were committed to one group for a time…Let’s say NJPW, or even a different organization…How there might be some much more cohesive storytelling and builds in programs. I’m not saying WWE Style… just something that feels more well put together, it might make Kenny’s work as top guy in NJPW be that much more exciting.