Wrestlers on the card :-
• Dani Luna
• Kanji
• Paul London
• Flash Morgan Webster
• Mark Andrews
• Josh Holly
• Hunter Maul
• Nico Angelo
• ECDrew (Drew Parker)
• Tommy Vril
• Cara Noir
• Brendan White
• Danny Jones
• The Legion Of Bloom
• Chuck Mambo
• TK Cooper
• The Freshnas
• James Ellis
• Sean Smith
• Lykos Gym
• Matt Gatlin
• Leon Cage
• Simon Miller
Before starting with the review, a quick note - I've recently started a YouTube channel for independent wrestling content in the UK. It has near-daily 15-second videos I've dubbed "Smackdown Showcase", it has match highlights (some of which are embedded in this review), and more. The purpose of the channel is to shine a spotlight on the incredible talent we have in the UK. Memorable moments, memorable matches, hard-hitting action...if you'd be so kind, please could you check out the YouTube channel. Like, comment, share, and subscribe!
With that being said, let's dive in...
Over the last few years that we've been attending Attack! shows (re-attending in my case), it has become one of our favourite companies. The events are always brilliant. Equally important is that the owners, organisers, and crew make you feel appreciated. Whether it's Cathays, the Loco Klub, or Y Plas, we've felt genuine appreciation and love from the Attack! community.
My first Attack! show was circa 12 years ago. I was in my early-to-mid 20s and travelled to Cardiff to watch the likes of JD Knight (who I already knew from 4FW), the Hunter Brothers, Wild Boar, Pete Dunne (now of WWE fame), Mark Andrews, and Morgan Webster do their thing in Cathays. It was very impressive. Over the course of the last 13 years I've watched the company grow from strength-to-strength, culminating in their biggest show EVER: their 15-year anniversary is Y Plas, Cardiff.
Before we dive into the play-by-play, I just wanted to highlight for anyone that hasn't already been there...you need to watch an Attack! show at the Loco Klub in Bristol. It's not the biggest venue (it must sit 150ish), but it's one of the coolest venues I've ever seen! Check it out below...
But back to this event. On paper the card was stacked. You had old-school Attack! performers such as Mark Andrews and Flash Morgan Webster on the card. You had stars of Attack! of the last five years such as Nico Angelo, James Ellis, and Cara Noir, plus stars of the future like Tommy Vril and Leon Cage. My expectations for the event were high. So high that we started queuing nearly 2 hours before doors in order to get the best seats possible. With it being Attack!'s biggest show ever and over 600 tickets sold, we didn't want to be at the back.
The planned card was 8 matches :-
- Tommy Vril vs. Cara Noir
- The Freshnas defending the Tag Team Titles against The Legion of Bloom, Greedy Souls (Brendan White & Danny Jones), and Sunshine Machine (Chuck Mambo & TK Cooper)
- James Ellis vs. Sean Smith (singer for the Welsh band "The Blackout") for the 24/7 Championship
- Mark Andrews vs. Josh Holly in a Courtroom Brawl Tables Match
- Former WWE Superstar Paul London & Flash Morgan Webster taking on Lykos Gym
- Nico Angelo facing ECDrew (Drew Parker) in an Extreme Rules match
- A Weird & Wonderful Royal Rumble
- Kanji defending the Attack! Championship against Dani Luna in the main event
It definitely had the opportunity to deliver on the hype!
Unlike most Indie wrestling companies, Attack! doesn't offer traditional meet-and-greets typically. They did have one for Paul London at this event, but not the wrestlers on the card in general. Your best bet is to find the wrestlers as they're milling around during the interval or post-show. A lot of them head to the merch. area at those times.
New logo, same attitude!
We queued up for 2 months...sorry, hours...and headed into the venue. We ended up being in the centre of the third row. Awesome! Great seats secured. One of the cool things about Y Plas is that it has a balcony either side of the ring, seats surrounding three sides, plus standing room at the back. You can fit a lot of people in there. It's also worth mentioning at the offset that the crowd was phenomenal all night. From the opening bell to the main event, the crowd was hot. Rabid. Engaged. It was great to see. I've often said that the difference between a good wrestling match and a great wrestling match is the crowd. You could have the same performers doing the same moves in the same order and it could be "good" or "great" depending on how loud the crowd are. Frankly, wrestling fans make or break a show...and, boy, did the Attack! fandom come out in force for the anniversary!
One last thing before getting started. While this anniversary show was brilliant; filled with nostalgia, great matches, and memorable moments...there was a hole. A Shane Hook-shaped hole. Shane has been one of the Attack! standouts of recent times. His combination of athleticism, showmanship, and heart have made him a bonafide attraction. Recently, Shane suffered both an ACL and MCL tear, requiring surgery. Rather than having a long wait time, the wrestling community rallied around Shane and generated just shy of £11,000 via GoFundMe - plus some money still coming in from other charitable ventures - so that Shane could get the surgery privately. That surgery has now taken place. The recovery time is circa 1-year. Shane, you were missed. You shall continue to be missed. Heal up, rehab hard, and we can't wait to see you back in the ring where you belong soon. I love the wrestling community. Everyone came together to help "one of our own".
Match 1: Tommy Vril vs. Cara Noir
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I wrote a review of No Mercy Wrestling's 4-year anniversary show yesterday and I said the following about Tommy Vril that's worth repeating here...
"After 'The Prima' was born - a character mirrored on Vril's real-life talent and passion as a dancer - it changed the game. For the last year I've bleeted on about Vril's undeniable star-power. He has "it". I told you on this blog a year ago that Vril was a star of the future. It is so rewarding to see him actualising that promise. He's no longer a star of the future. He's a star of the present. At the time of writing this, I'm two days removed from Vril vs. Cara Noir at Attack!'s 15-year anniversary event and Vril was welcomed like a conquering hero. There were Tommy Vril t-shirts scattered throughout the audience. The venue echoed the war-cry of "Tommy; Tommy Vril!" It feels weird to say this about someone I don't know "well" - although I have gotten to know him over the last year - but I'm proud of his progress (no pun intended) and success. He puts a lot of thought and care, and passion into what he does and it's wonderful to see the rewards of that work coming to fulfillment. He's also an excellent promo. A bit weird, a bit quirky - which is a good thing in the era of social media where everyone sounds the same - but bloody brilliant. If he can put some muscle on his frame, he's about as close to a "guaranteed" star of tomorrow as I can see on the Indies right now."
As mentioned above, Vril was treated like a hero here. His ground-swell support has been growing for the last 6 months and it feels as though he's on the precipice of becoming a true breakout star. That's not to say that Cara Noir wasn't feeling the love as well...
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It was our first time watching Cara Noir perform live. He's something special. You're captivated from the entrance! His music, his face paint, his robe, his walk, his mannerisms...it all works! He's clearly put a lot of thought and energy into cultivating this character. As a former Attack! Champion and 24/7 Champion he's been an integral part of the lineage of Attack! Pro Wrestling, so it was nice to see him back for the anniversary.
The match itself was great fun! There were dualling chants of "Tommy, Tommy Vril!" and "Cara Noir!" for a long time as the match was starting. The crowd were invested. As were we. Some of the highlights included Cara taking off Vril's ballet shoe and smacking him repeatedly with it, Cara turning Vril's Tarantula into a sleeper hold, a double toe-biting spot, and Cara's through-the-ropes German Suplex to Vril. There was a fantastic sequence of near-falls where it appeared as though Noir had the match won...only for Vril to repeatedly kick-out. There were some brilliant, realistic-looking strikes from both in this match, which I love. Nothing takes me out of the moment faster than fake-looking strikes and kicks. Ultimately, when Cara was on Vril's back and had him in a sleeper-hold, Vril spiked Cara's head into the mat, hit his finisher (does it have a name?!), and won the match. A great first match for the anniversary show! That spike looked brutal.
Post-match, Cara Noir showed Tommy Vril respect and they performed a curtain-call together. Much like Charles Crowley at No Mercy Wrestling the previous weekend, it felt like Cara Noir giving Tommy Vril his stamp of approval as one of the upper-echelon of character performers in Britain.
(Photo Credit: @BeyondGorilla)
Match highlights will be added here on the 1st of April once they're on YouTube.
Match 2: Attack! Tag Team Championships Tornado Match - The Freshnas (Fabio & Martin Steers) (C) vs. Greedy Souls (Brendan White & Danny Jones) vs. The Legion Of Bloom (Lil' Johnny The Sunflower & Sonny The Sunflower) vs. Sunshine Machine (Chuck Mambo & TK Cooper)
As soon as it was announced that this would be a tornado tag match, I knew it was going to be chaos. Absolute chaos...and it was. God, I loved this match. I don't know how long it was - it felt fast - but it was bell-to-bell anarchy. The perfect example of Attack! Pro Wrestling's ethos and attitude at its finest. Before the match started, everyone was already amped. The Legion of Bloom (a whacky Attack! tag team that's a play on the "Legion of Doom" - complete with the shoulder spikes - combined with sunflowers)'s entrance had the fans singing along to "I'm Walking On Sunshine", then out came Sunshine Machine. For anyone that hasn't been there live, Sunshine Machine's entrance is great fun. There are loads of inflatable beach balls that get smacked around the crowd. Hit from person to person. It will be in the highlights video that's uploaded next week. Definitely worth a watch. It's a joy to experience in the moment.
Tag team wrestling in Britain, as a whole, isn't as strong as its solo division. There are some brilliant teams - Act Two, El Grande Chicos, Young Guns, and the four in this match to name a few - but it doesn't have the same steam as individual performers. This match was a shining beacon of a testament as to why tag team wrestling deserves more respect. It was sublime. Greedy Souls have been a favourite of mine for a long time now. As individual performers and as a tag team, both Brendan White and Danny Jones are world-class. Two strong, technical veterans. Their power here blended well with the athleticism of The Legion of Bloom, Sunshine Machine, and The Freshnas.
While all 8 wrestlers shone in this match, if I had to give out an M.V.P. award, it would be to Chuck Mambo. He's so good. His walking-the-top-rope-while-holding-an-opponent's-arm sequences put The Undertaker to shame. The balance is outstanding. He literally jumps over the arms of opponents trying to clothesline him, lands back on the top rope, and carries on walking. Insanity! He also dived off of Cooper's shoulders to the outside, hit a beautiful top-turnbuckle Blockbuster, and generally helped carry the match to a brilliant climax!
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This match truly had everything...want to see a 450 splash from the top rope? Check. A Shooting Star Press? Check. A Piledriver on the apron? Check. A Doomsday Device...or "Bloomsday Device"? Check. Honestly, just watch the highlights when they're up. You won't be disappointed.
Finally, Brendan White launched Martin Steers about twelve feet in the air (...that might be slightly exaggerated, but it was ridiculous!...) into the waiting arms of Danny Jones, who hit him with a Piledriver. New Tag Team Champions have been crowned: Greedy Souls! I can't think of a more deserving team.
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Match highlights will be added here on the 1st of April once they're on YouTube.
Match 3: Attack! 24/7 Championship Match - James Ellis (C) vs. Sean Smith W/Hudson
Over the last few months, James Ellis has taken issue with a young fan of Attack! Pro Wrestling: Hudson. Sean Smith - singer for the Welsh band "The Blackout" - has come to Hudson's defence and challenged James Ellis. There was a brilliant video package that played on the "big screens" before the match began to set the table for the grudge match.
There were a number of things here that were impressive. Firstly, James Ellis. Just in general. The former Attack! Champion is masterful in the ring. Not everyone can carry a "non-wrestler" to a decent match. It's a testament to Ellis' abilities that he was able to do so. I've been saying on this blog for a while that James Ellis is a star. He can wrestle, he can talk, he uses social media well to promote his character, and he has that "it" factor.
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Comparingly, Sean Smith also did a great job. You could tell that he'd trained his butt off ready for the match. He didn't look out of place in the ring. We've all seen celebrities enter the Professional Wrestling world and absolutely stink the place out. Sean didn't. Sean did Attack! and himself proud. He performed an Angle Slam, a Twist of Fate, and a Side Effect to a high standard...he must be a Matt Hardy fan?
Fairly early on in the match the cocky Ellis raised Sean's arm while pinning him. He wasn't going to let Sean off that easily...but would it cost him later?
One ref-bump later, Ellis brought a guitar into the ring. He whacked Sean in the head with it...but the match wasn't over! Hudson got up onto the apron and started arguing with Ellis, giving Sean enough time to recuperate and smash the guitar over Ellis' head right back. Sean busted out a CANADIAN DESTROYER and became the NEW 24/7 Champion...I guess another match is in his future at the very least.
Match highlights will be added here on the 1st of April once they're on YouTube.
Match 4: Courtroom Brawl Tables Match - Mark Andrews vs. Josh Holly W/Hunter Maul
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We've seen Mark Andrews and Josh Holly wrestle before in the Loco Klub, but not under these tablerific conditions. There is a long and complicated backstory to this match, 7 or 8 months in the making. There was a video package before it began to fill the audience in on that backstory.
Josh Holly entered the ring accompanied by Hunter Maul, an enormous behemoth of a human being. Mark Andrews entered to a hero's welcome - as an Attack! owner should during the 15-year anniversary show.
Mark Andrews is a British wrestling legend. Bassist and co-lead vocalist of the pop punk band "Junior", a former NXT UK Tag Team Champion alongside Flash Morgan Webster - the first Welsh Champions in WWE history - an Attack! 24/7 Champion, TNA Tag Team Champion, Progress Champion...the list goes on. For all of his contributions to the wrestling business as an active performer, I truly believe that when all is said and done a larger portion of his legacy will be this. Attack! Training the next generation. Creating a platform for the next generation. Cultivating a die-hard fanbase. As an in-ring performer, Mark Andrews is transcendent. Innovative, creative, lightning-fast, with jaw-dropping athleticism, it's always a pleasure to watch him perform. I first saw Mark wrestle live, gosh, 15 years ago at New Scene Wrestling. Even back then you could tell he had something special.
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Towards the end of last year I wrote an article of the rise of the Welsh wrestling scene. Right now - and for a while now - South Wales has been a hot-bed of great promotions, great training programs, and world-class talent. We had the original wave of talent: Mark Andrews, Flash Morgan Webster, and Wild Boar to name a few. Then we had the next generation: Brendan White, Nico Angelo, Danny Jones...and Josh Holly. This match felt like a generational moment. The veteran guard against the current guard.
Josh Holly is brilliant. If there's one thing that some indie wrestlers lack it's the ability to talk. Not Josh Holly. He can cut a promo. He isn't afraid to look the fool. He can make you care...and he's absolutely classic between the ropes too, if you don't mind the pun. He's earned the right to be in a big match scenario like this.
As expected with a tables match...there were tables. Hunter Maul was the great equaliser. Helping Josh Holly get the upper-hand. When Mark Andrews was able to make some traction and nearly powerbombed Holly through a table propped up in the corner, Hunter caught him. Hunter went to spear Mark Andrews through the table, but Mark moved and Hunter went flying through the table himself. With Hunter out of the way, it became a bit more even. They went move-for-move; cracking each others' skulls off of the table in the middle of the ring.
Hunter regained consciousness and helped Holly get the upper-hand yet again. Holly grabbed a couple of gavels from under the ring and declared Mark Andrews "GUILTY!", before proceeding to hit Mark Andrews in the ribs and head with them. Just when all hope was lost, Eddie Dennis made the save! The first Attack! Champion, the 3-time Attack! Champion. The Attack! LEGEND returned home to help his friend Mark Andrews. He hit Josh Holly with the Razor's Edge, before encouraging Mark to grab a ladder.
Josh Holly was sprawled across a table in the middle of the ring, while Mark Andrews ascended up the ladder. He hit a picture-perfect Swanton Bomb from the top of the ladder....but the table didn't break! What a nightmare! No matter, Mark and Eddie switched tactic swiftly. They double-powerbombed Josh Holly through a table that was sent up in the corner. This time it did break...just. The very edge of it snapped. That counts! Mark Andrews was victorious!
Match highlights will be added here on the 1st of April once they're on YouTube.
It was now the mid-session interval. We took the opportunity to go to the merchandise area as I'd pre-arranged to collect a t-shirt from Danny Jones. I chatted to the new Tag Team Champions, Danny & Brendan, grabbed a picture with them, and collected the t-shirt.
We then shuffled down to Sunshine Machine and I got an 8x10 signed by both of them, plus a picture. Finally, I met Cara Noir for the first time. Another 8x10, another picture. Five awesome guys. The only thing to fault was that the queue system was a mess. We had people queuing from both sides. So it was awkward to navigate who was next and who had priority. It's an easy fix for the future though.
Match 5: Paul London & Flash Morgan Webster vs. Lykos Gym (Kid Lykos & Kid Lykos II)
I last saw Paul London in 2014. In October 2014 he came to an indie event in my home-city of Gloucester ran by Matt Jarrett. Matt brought in a plethora of top stars including AJ Styles, Doug Williams, Brian Kendrick, Paul London, Hiroshi Tanahashi, Satoshi Kojima, and Jushin "Thunder" Liger. Honestly, it still might be the best card I've ever attended in Britain. A month later, I saw Paul London again at Wales Comic Con in Telford. We chatted for a long time about a lot of different things. My conversation with him there started brilliantly as I'd just watched my friend Hayley slip over on a leaflet and take an entire leaflet rack down with her, so I was crying with laughter upon arriving at Paul London's table. Good, happy memories. Here we are eleven-and-a-half years later.
Paul entered the ring while singing "Thunderball" by Tom Jones (the James Bond theme). I definitely didn't have that on my bingo card, but it was great entertainment. I assume he did it because we were in Wales. At 45 years old, Paul still has a lot to offer the wrestling business. He did tremendously well in this match, busting out top-rope foot-stomps, spinning wheel kicks, and dives to the outside. His tag team partner, Flash Morgan Webster, is another tag team specialist. Subculture were game-changing for the British wrestling scene and much like Mark Andrews earlier in this review, Flash Morgan Webster deserves his flowers. A former Attack! Champion, TNA Tag Team Champion, and the other half of the first ever Welsh Champions in WWE history, winning the NXT UK Tag Team Titles with Mark Andrews. For everything Mark Andrews has given back to the industry with Attack!, Flash and Wild Boar are giving back with Pro Wrestling Chaos - another awesome indie company in the South Wales/Bristol region.
London and Flash's opponents were Lykos Gym. A talented, successful team in their own right - being multiple-time Progress Tag Team Champions. It was our first time watching Lykos Gym live after many years of watching their...erm...progress....on the British independent scene. The table was set. The anticipation was high. It was time to start.
Some beautiful chain wrestling between Flash and Kid Lykos II opened the contest. Unlike the manic 4-team tornado match from earlier in the show, this one followed a more traditional tag team wrestling mentality - flashy opening, babyfaces shine, one of them gets cut off, heels take over, hot tag, lots of action, someone wins. It's a tried-and-tested formula that's been around for 60 or 70 years. When executed well - like this was - it has the ability to get the crowd on their feet. As you'd expect from these four, there were a lot of impressive moves. Lots of flips and athleticism, and showmanship. It was a close contest. Both teams had the opportunity to showcase their talent.
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In the end, Paul London got the victory for himself and Flash after a double foot-stomp off of the top rope. The crowd enjoyed that.
Match highlights will be added here on the 1st of April once they're on YouTube.
Match 6: Extreme Rules Match - Nico Angelo vs. ECDrew (A.K.A. Drew Parker)
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Not originally billed as an Extreme Rules match, the announcement was made just as Nico Angelo was coming to the ring. I've said it ad nauseam, but Nico Angelo is arguably the single greatest wrestler in Britain right now. He's a loveable babyface that's easy to root for and he's a fucking brilliant heel. There's a few things that set Nico apart from his peers (the other upper-echelon of British talent). The most noteable of which is his aggression level. When I watch Nico, I think of an Eddie Guerrero, a Kurt Angle, a Samoa Joe. Everything he does looks painful and it's delivered at 100 miles per hour. As I mentioned earlier, I want to suspend my disbelief. I want you to make me think it's real for the duration of the match. Overly-choreographed spots of weak-looking offence really takes me out of the moment. I don't have to worry about that with Nico. He always brings it.
When you couple this with Drew Parker, a genuine hardcore wrestler covered in scars, you have the recipe for some fun. Drew Parker came out in full ECW Sandman mode. Due to the balcony at the venue, Drew was able to do the whole Sandman entrance. Kendo stick in hand, cigarette (read: vape pen) in mouth, beer in other hand, "ECDrew" invaded the venue to "Enter Sandman", while the crowd sang along loudly. A section of that entrance will be on the highlights video next week. Definitely worth a watch! It was a brilliant moment on a show filled with them. It's stuck with me ever since. That's what wrestling is all about: creating moments, memories, and emotion.
(Photo Credit: @BeyondGorilla)
The brawl immediately started outside the ring. It wasn't long before a "caution: wet floor" sign was obtained. Nico slammed Drew down on top of it, hit him with it, and dropkicked it into Drew's chest. Nico then found what looked like a metal brace under the ring and propped it up in the corner. Fortune did not favour him however, as Drew turned the tables and suplexed Nico into it, bending the metal in the process. Ouch!
After some back-and-forth action where both combatants utilised the kendo stick - plus a sick looking DDT from Drew - it looked like Nico had the match won...only for Drew to bust-out some ninja-like rope skills, pull Nico into a cutter, and get a near-fall. Drew threw a chair at Nico's head, which wrapped around Nico's skull, before going to the top turnbuckle and hitting a Swanton Bomb. ECDrew was the winner.
Match highlights will be added here on the 1st of April once they're on YouTube.
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Just before the next match started, Jim Lee entered the ring. Jim Lee is one of the original Attack! owners and he hasn't been seen in some time. Jim got a great ovation from the crowd and he was genuinely funny and heartfelt on the mic...before Larry The Caddy interrupted. Larry verbally abused Jim. Talked down to him. Until Wild Boar made the save. The recently-retired Welsh legend hit Larry with a package piledriver and celebrated in ther ring with Jim. I'm so pleased to see all the nostalgia and call-backs to the past on the show. THIS is an anniversary show done right.
Match 7: The Weird & Wonderful Royal Rumble
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Participants included a host of new and classic Attack! characters - Matt Gatlin, Love Making Demon, Old Poppa Sunflower, Simon Miller, Oliver Sudden, Leon Cage, Visage, Larry The Caddy, Vivika, AJ Nox, Beachball Bechannon, El Sapo, The Tab, and the return of Create-A-Wrestler!
It's hard to put this Rumble into words. It was bizarre...and I mean that in a good way.
The contest opened with the straight-laced Matt Gatlin and the loveable rogue that is Love Making Demon. Love Making Demon enters the ring to George Michael's "Careless Whisper" - which gets the crowd singing - wearing a mouse mask...at least I think it's a mouse. Then you have Visage: a bald Drag Queen in a wig. You have Beachball Bechannon, who does everything in slow-motion...and you have Create-A-Wrestler. Anyone that used to play old-school WWE video games will know this character. He's the form your character takes before you've setup the appearance. The mannerisms matched the video games to a tee. Complete with the shrug when trying to find weapons under the ring and not retrieving any, plus stealing all the famous wrestlers finishing moves and poses. God, that was funny.
In stark contrast to this you had legitimately brilliant traditional wrestlers such as Matt Gatlin, Simon Miller, Leon Cage, The Tab, and Vivika to round out the Rumble. For my personal money, seeing the return of Old Poppa Sunflower was a genuine highlight.
(Photo Credit: @BeyondGorilla)
The match had a slow-motion Bechannon giving CPR to Love Making Demon, who promptly kipped-up and kissed him. You had Simon Miller wearing Visage's wig. You had Oliver Sudden biting Old Poppa Sunflower's head. It definitely lived up to the name "weird & wonderful".
The final three competitors were "The Futurist" Leon Cage, Larry The Caddy, and Matt Gatlin, who'd survived since being entrant #1. Larry The Caddy was quickly disposed of and Leon Cage was able to hold off Matt Gatlin long enough to dump him out of the ring and pick up the victory. A bizarre, fun match with the right person winning. Leon Cage is one of the rising talents that are the future of Attack! He should be spotlighted on their anniversary show.
Match highlights will be added here on the 1st of April once they're on YouTube.
Match 8: Attack! Championship Match - Kanji (C) vs. Dani Luna
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Billed as "the biggest main event in Attack! history", there was a lot of hype going into the conclusion of the 15-year anniversary show. The crowd was split. Dualling chants of "Dani Luna!" and "Yes she Kanji!" echoed throughout the hall. It had a "big fight" feel. The energy in the room was electric. Could Kanji retain her Title against her biggest challenge yet? Could Dani Luna - who worked the merch. desk at Attack! for 3 years while training - win the Attack! Championship for the first time?
Subculture were groundbreaking for the British independent scene. I legitimately don't think they get the credit they deserve. Mark, Flash, and Dani have all gone on to do great things in the wrestling industry. Both in the squared-circle and behind the scenes. I've had the privilege of watching Dani Luna wrestle live a lot over the years and she's always been a top-class performer. Like I mentioned with Nico Angelo earlier, Dani Luna brings it. She makes everything look real. She gets you invested. She draws you in.
While Dani was the powerhouse of the match, Kanji was the plucky babyface that was thirsty to prove herself...or at least at the start. As the match wore on, Kanji did more and more heelish things, such as repeatedly elbowing Dani Luna in the back of the head when she couldn't keep her down for the 3-count. One of the things I love about Kanji is her selling. I mentioned it in my review of Kanji vs. Rayne Leverkusen from Attack!'s event at the Loco Klub (as an aside, congrats to Rayne on getting signed by WWE recently! Very well deserved!). Kanji is a masterful seller. She can make you believe she's injured...which isn't difficult to do when Dani Luna is bearing down on you.
There was a lot of mat wrestling and chain wrestling in this match. Kanji and Dani Luna went hold-for-hold. Dani powerbombed Kanji on the ring apron, Kanji wrapped Dani in the ropes and delivered a stiff kick to the base of the spine. Dani offered Kanji a free shot to the face, which Kanji accepted...but her shot didn't knock Dani down...Dani's rapid-fire receipt floored Kanji. Can she lose her teeth? Yes she Kanji!
Dani Luna's over-the-ropes German Suplex remains one of my favourite moves in wrestling. It looks brutal to receive. However, on this occasion, Kanji popped right back up and delivered a stiff elbow to the back of Dani's head. Both ladies were down. Both were wounded. After an inadvertent ref-bump, Kanji made Dani Luna tap-out, but the ref wasn't around to see it. Dani delivered her finisher to Kanji and pinned her for the 3-count. Dani Luna was declared the new Attack! Champion. There is nobody on the Attack! roster more deserving.
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With the crowd fully in Dani's corner and rapturous applause coming from every direction, Dani cut an empassioned promo, thanking the fans and highlighting her journey within Attack! to the Title. With that the show concluded.
Match highlights will be added here on the 1st of April once they're on YouTube.
(Photo Credit: @BeyondGorilla)
I've attended around 400 live wrestling shows in my life. I've seen a lot. I've watched the rise and fall of companies, the rise and fall of trends, the rise and retirement of wrestlers. The 15-year anniversary show of Attack! is a top-10 show of all-time for me. It had everything. Great wrestling, crazy bumps, goofiness and moments to make you laugh, call-backs to Attack!'s history, three title changes, and the crowning of a new era in their history: the Dani Luna era.
What an event!
Until next time...stay safe, stay strong, and keep kicking ass.
- Your Friendly Neighbourhood Shangel
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