Paradigm isn’t shy when it comes to being creative with their wrestling. Between hip-hop hooks and UWFI violence, the company has pushed the envelope for new experiences and new stars. Now, we were getting the ultimate unholy alliance, shoot-style UWFI rules meet hardcore, no rules violence. You have five minutes to beat your opponent under UWFI rules, if you can’t, then it’s time to get the toys as all rules go out of the window. This show would be the meeting ground for a whole host of feuds and stories so we have 13 matches to get through culminating in the ultimate meeting between Bobby Beverly and Hoodfoot. Let’s get into the action.

Dominic Garrini defeated AKIRA via Bully Choke

What better way to open this show than with the Catch X Death Samurai AKIRA? If anyone has shown there’s a link between these two elements, it’s him and now he was going to ply both sides of his trade against the Bone Collector and figurehead of the division, Dominic Garrini. The pair opened with a smooth minute and a half of mat wrestling before AKIRA laid in some kicks. Garrini stayed grounded so AKIRA tried for a double stomp. This got him trapped and the mat wrestling resumed with Guillotines and duelling heel hooks. As the timer ran down, AKIRA trapped Garrini causing the first rope break of the match. Garrini tried for a rear-naked and AKIRA tried for the Kimura but neither could get their hold locked. The UWFI timer ran out and Terminal Combat was in play. Garrini fought out of an armbar with a low blow and brought out the toys. He cracked AKIRA in the head with a trashcan and trapped him in it for head kicks. The fight broke outside and AKIRA used Charlie Kruel as a weapon. He booted in Garrini’s chest and tried to force-feed Garrini a Pop-Tart. Garrini chopped free, threw in a door, and smashed in AKIRA with a trashcan lid. The pair battled around the door and AKIRA put Garrini through it with a Sleeper Suplex. Garrini beat the 10-count and shook off door shots to strike it out with AKIRA and bring him down with a lariat. The striking continued and AKIRA downed Garrini with a Pele Kick. Garrini came back with a powerbomb and spiked AKIRA out of a Triangle with a second. He beat the count again and fought through Garrini’s strikes to deliver a Kappu Kick. He kept kicking away at Garrini with Kawada Kicks but Garrini kicked low again and locked on a Bully Choke to knock out AKIRA. It’s been a while since I’ve seen Deathmatch Dom and oh boy, did he make an appearance here. This is how you open a show and show off your rules, UWFI met violence from two people who can do it best.

Dustin Leonard defeated Flash Thompson via Pumphandle Cross Armbreaker

Next up was a battle of Jiu-jitsu meeting boxing as Dustin Leonard clashed with Flash Thompson of the Forgotten Fight Team. Leonard is perfectly suited to the UWFI portion but how would he fare if it went to Terminal Combat? The two started with a cagey standoff and Thompson got a quick knockdown with palm strikes. Leonard took the fight to the mat with a trip and found an ankle lock as Thompson continued to strike from his back. Thompson grabbed the ropes and the fight reset for another strike exchange. Leonard took Thompson to the mat again and peppered him with palm strikes before Thompson reversed the mount and did the same to him. Leonard fought free, trapped an arm in a pump handle, and flipped Thompson into a Cross Armbreaker for the win. This had been a much shorter fight but it was full of high-impact striking and Jiu-jitsu taking the day in the battle of styles. Even Ben Shearin got a taste of the BJJ.

Lord Crewe defeated Derek Neal via Sliding Forearm KO

This was one of my most hotly anticipated matches on the card. Lord Crewe, bare-knuckle berserker taking on Derek Neal, the King’s Road Slayer. These two have heavy hands and know exactly how to use them. This was going to get very violent regardless of the ruleset. It quickly broke out into a striking fight as the two threw heavy palm strikes and kicks at one another. Crewe hammered his way out of a corner and Neal launched him with a released Northern Lights Suplex. The bare-knuckle brawl continued and Neal scored another wrestling takedown and locked Crewe in a Cross Armbreaker, forcing a rope break. Neal tried to choke out Crewe with a headlock and tried for another Suplex but Crewe flipped it into a grounded headlock, forcing Neal to the bottom rope. The bomb-throwing resumed and Neal launched Crewe at the ropes with a stiff forearm. Crewe had to beat yet another count as Neal hammered him into the canvas again. Crewe did the same with a massive palm strike and kicked free of a heel hold. The timer counted down and the two got more frantic with their striking until Crewe kicked down Neal and knocked him out with a sliding forearm. Crewe had taken the win but neither guy was really a loser here. They both beat the hell out of each other and they’d needed almost all of the UWFI time to get a win.

Isaiah Broner defeated Alex Kane via Back Elbow KO

What happens when two people claim to own a wrestling company? You stick them in a ring and make them fight. Alex Kane and Isaiah Broner have both tried to make Paradigm their bitch and now, they’d turned that battle for dominance inward. The pair rushed each other and Broner tossed Kane with a German. Kane returned the favour with a Saito and Northern Lights. He assaulted Broner with knees and tried for the Mark of Kane but Broner fought out and downed Kane with a back elbow. That ended the match as Kane was knocked out cold. Broner was entirely humble in defeat and totally didn’t mock Kane’s motto as Kane staggered away. Things are far from over between these two.

Ron Mathis (w/Fully-licensed manager Bruce Grey) defeated Josh Crane via Ronnie Choke

Oh no, Ronnie the Shooter was back. Mathis is a massive UWFI enthusiast and a master of deathmatch wrestling so this event seemed perfect for him. The problem is, he was against another wrestling x death extraordinaire, Josh Crane. These two were going to try and kill each other. Crane got first blood with dodging strikes and knees, then got launched by Mathis. He tried the same toss again but Crane kneed out and the two went into a striking exchange. Crane trapped Mathis in a Gator Roll and the pair continued to trade, Shooter Ronnie somehow managing to escape all of Crane’s tricks. This oddball mix of shooting from Mathis resulted in Crane losing a point from a rope break. Crane fired off more knees but Mathis shook them off and launched him with a Suplex. The pair ran the timer down swinging on each other and it was time to get hardcore. The weapons came out and Mathis cracked Crane in the head with a cleaning sign. Mathis set up chairs and Crane beat him down with cookie sheets. Mathis got vengeance with a kendo stick but Crane snatched it off him and cracked it off his shoulder. They fought to the top rope and Crane battled through headbutts to stun Mathis with a cookie sheet and drove him through a chair pile. Mathis climbed up the ref to beat the count and Crane set up a door. The pair battled around the door and Mathis tried for a Rear-Naked Choke but Crane fell back and put him through the door. Mathis clung to the hold like a madman and after a brief struggle but Crane to sleep. Hardcore Ronnie had won with a shooter technique. I feel that perfectly personifies Terminal Combat. This was another awesome hybrid bout with Crane fitting in perfectly with the ruleset. I haven’t seen Crane since his BJW days and I was still as impressed as ever here.

Austin Connelly defeated Brayden Lee via Stomping Cloverleaf

After that chaos, it was time for the Mad Dog Austin Connelly to be unleashed. His original opponent couldn’t make it so Brayden Lee was stepping in and was ready to show he was more than a flippy guy. He had his amateur singlet on and he was ready to shoot. Connelly will attack like a rabid dog whilst taking damage like a zombie, Lee was going to be in for a tough fight. Lee dodged a charge and trapped Connelly in a Gator Roll. He picked a leg and grounded Connelly and shoved him away as he tried to strike. Lee baited Connelly into another charge and tried to pick the leg before driving Connelly into the mat with a wrestling takeover. Connelly avoided getting locked up on the mat and knocked the air out of Lee with a Triangle Powerbomb. The pair tried to limb target and continued to grapple on the mat. Connelly struck free of Lee’s clutches and dropped him with another sickening powerbomb. Connelly picked a leg for a standing kneebar and turned it into a stomping cloverleaf that got him the win. Lee was out but he’d shown a very different side of himself in this bout. He’d given the Mad Dog a tough time but it hadn’t been enough as Connelly withstood and ended Lee in a painful fashion. It’s always fun to watch Connelly at work.

Reed Bentley defeated John Wayne Murdoch via Ref Stoppage

As always, The Rejects are always willing to fight each other as often as they work together. They might be one of the most dominant teams in wrestling but they also love to punch each other in the face for fun. That’s what Bentley and Murdoch were about to do. Murdoch wasn’t too happy that he had to wait to get to the plunder but he begrudgingly accepted that he was about to wrestle. The two struck it out and Bentley pushed Murdoch onto the ropes. Murdoch argued with the ref about losing a point and got launched by Bentley. They chatted about the rules as they grappled and Bentley showed some proper amateur wrestling. Murdoch left the ring in a strop after losing another point and sat down to try and get counted out. When he couldn’t do that, he just stayed seated to run down the timer. He eventually came back to the ring with weapons but was not allowed to use them. The Rejects struck it out again and Bentley dumped Murdoch with a headbutt into a Saito. Bentley dove in for another forearm and knocked Murdoch loopy so the ref stopped the match. The crowd booed him for this and Murdoch was still as confused as ever about what just happened. This was a nice little comedic bout to separate the more serious bouts to come. The Rejects have some excellent comedic timing and it looks like Bentley wants more UWFI fights. Much like AKIRA, he wants to show the Rejects are multi-faceted wrestlers.

Jody Himself (w/Jet Jaghori) defeated Bradley Prescott IV (w/Adam Slade) via Wrestling Society X Box

Jody Himself has had an odd time lately in Paradigm. He was given a magic elbow that took him to great heights, then promptly knocked the hell out by Chase Holliday. Now, he was trying to avoid further death at the hands of the Lost Boys. In a poll dedicated to beating up Jody, Bradley Prescott IV had won the fan vote. Now, we’d see if he could deliver on the Jody beating. They both opened with heavy shots and Prescott headbutted the life out of Jody. The two traded suplexes and stopped for a beer break. Prescott tried for a quick submission win but Jody got a rope break. Realising both could lose on points any second, Jody formulated a plan and accidentally fell out of the ring. He fell all the way to the backstage area and returned with more beer. Everyone, including the ref, chugged a beer as they ran down the UWFI clock, chatting like friends on a couple of chairs. The timer ran down and the pair went back to attacking each other. Prescott cracked Jody with a can and the action (and the beer) spilled to the outside. He beat Jody with pool noodles and a wet floor sign as let Jody get a weapon. Jody attacked Prescott with a wiffleball bat, realised it was useless and smashed a cookie sheet over Prescott’s head to make up for it. Jody tried to be sportsmanlike so Prescott hit him with the beer mist and windmilled on him with more cookie sheets. Jody warned Prescott they couldn’t use the doors and went off-camera for more plunder. He came back with LEGO™ and tried to hit the AA onto them but was too drunk to do so. Prescott dumped Jody on the LEGO™ and told Slade to retrieve the Wrestling Society X Box. That turned out to be an “exploding” box and Prescott was going to throw Jody onto it. Instead, Jody hit a Stunner on the ropes and knocked Prescott onto it with a rolling elbow. The box exploded and Prescott was out. A drunk Jody has bested Prescott and somehow survived being beaten down again. This was incredibly silly and meta but it was also a riot to watch and again, the unique setting providing something different.

Sandra Moone defeated Janai Kai via Moone’s Landing

Back to more serious matters now as Janai Kai, the baddest black belt was back in action and was about to go to war with Sandra Moone. This was either woman’s fight as raw power was about to meet deadly striking and technique. Kai took an early advantage with her kicks and a trip as she showed off why UWFI worked so well for her. Moone gave shots back but Kai kept on top and took the fight to the ground. Kai kept Moone locked up and forced her to the ropes. She wrapped up Moone again and tried for a Rear-Naked Choke but Moone kept elbowing free. The fight reset again and Moone tried to strike out but Kai met her with Muay Thai knees and choked her back down to the mat. Moone transitioned it to a side-headlock but Kai was right back on her with another choke. Moone fought up and viciously dropped Kai with a Suplex and they struggled to the feet as Terminal Combat kicked in. Kai went for a pair of nunchucks and kicked a chair into Moone’s face before unloading sickening shots with them. Kai upgraded to her staff and swung it into Moone’s legs. Moone caught the staff and tossed it aside before cracking Kai in the face with a chair. Kai fell to the outside and grabbed a trashcan but Moone was on her and dropkicked it into her face. The Monster side of Moone had come out as she ducked another staff shot and ended Kai with Moone’s Landing. This had been a tale of two extremes. We got an excellent grappling bout, then a martial-arts plunder fest. This is exactly what I wanted from the pair and it ended up being one of the best matches on the show.

Jollyville Fuck-Its (Nasty Russ Myers & T-Money) defeated Creature Feature (Adriel Noctis & Lazarus) via Pounce on Noctis

Time for some tag team action. Creature Feature has had a fairly successful time in Paradigm but now they were going under UWFI rules with a very dangerous tag team, the Jollyville Fuck-Its, T-Money, and Russ Myers. Noctis and Myers opened with a grappling exchange and Myers tossed Noctis to the mat with a Judo throw and tried to lock him up. Noctis broke free and the pair tagged. T-Money and Lazarus took over with T-Money instantly making a statement by slamming Lazarus. Lazarus tried to match him with chops but T-Money just scooped him up and broke him again with a crucifix powerbomb. T-Money backed Lazarus into a corner and Myers hit him with a cheap shot. Jollyville was saying fuck it to the rules. Myers came back in and tried to soften up Lazarus but Lazarus wouldn’t go down easily, fighting back with more strikes and downed Myers with a superkick. Myers tried to escape a powerbomb by driving Lazarus into a corner but Lazarus turned it into a destroyer. Lazarus escaped with a shotgun dropkick but Myers also made a tag and Noctis had to contend with T-Money. Noctis found an equaliser by biting T-Money’s wrist so T-Money KO’ed him with a deadly pounce. Noctis was out and Jollyville had made one hell of a statement in their debut match. Creature Feature had tried to put up a fight but T-Money was a monster that neither could contend with.

Midwest Territory Championship Chain: Yoya defeated Chase Holliday via Rear Naked Choke

Yoya Shooterweight has been calling himself a heavyweight for a long time now. In between attacks on Waffle House, he’s being demanding heavyweight respect and taking people’s heads off. Now, he was getting a shot at title gold against Chase Holliday. There was a massive height differential but that has never stopped Yoya before. Yoya jumped Holliday’s charge and instantly scored a knockdown with a head kick. Holliday beat the count and drilled Yoya with a Yakuza Kick. Yoya too beat the count but Holliday was right back on him and nailed a German. He Whiplashed Yoya with another German and Yoya took Holliday’s jaw off with a right. Yoya escaped a powerbomb into a Triangle and held on as Holliday tried to powerbomb him again, only letting go when Holliday hit a rope bounce bomb. Holliday went for ground and pound but Yoya quickly reapplied the Triangle, then climbed onto Holliday’s back and applied a Rear Naked Choke to put Holliday to sleep. I never bet again Yoya in a fight but this was an upset. Not only had Yoya beaten Holliday in a fight, but he’d also done it in under five minutes. Yoya is your new Midwest Territory Chain holder and will not be celebrating that victory at Waffle House.

Matt Makowski defeated Matthew Justice via Gi Choke

Talk about a styles clash. Matt Makowski is a former MMA fighter and grappling specialist so UWFI rules have always been a safe bet for him. Matthew Justice is an agent of chaos who has somehow made UWFI rules work for him. Now, they were colliding in the other’s wheelhouse. Makowski would be fine in the opening stretch but could he survive when Terminal Combat hit? Plunder and violence are Justice’s calling cards. They opened with strikes and Makowski reversed a spear into mat grappling. Justice grabbed the ropes, posed, and the striking resumed. Makowski took the fight back to the mat but again, Justice just grabbed the ropes. Makowski knew what Justice was doing and raised the intensity with more harsh slams and grappling but Justice remained slippery and bitey. However, this frustration led to him losing points after refusing to break a hold. Makowski kept trying to grapple and choke but Justice just wouldn’t stay down. With ten seconds left, Makowski was taken for a ride as he clung to Justice’s back and Justice took them both over the top rope. As they hit the floor, Terminal Combat kicked in. Justice celebrated with a spear onto the concrete and pummelled Makowski around ringside. He attacked Makowski with a door and stomped him down for a trashcan shot. Justice set up a door and continued to hammer Makowski against the apron. He laid out Makowski on the door and flattened him with a Tope con Hilo. The door didn’t break so Justice lobbed it at Makowski and crushed him with a diving splash. He bludgeoned Makowski with a kendo stick and brought him back to life with door strikes. Makowski snatched the door away and bashed it off Justice’s head and kicked it into his ribs. He caned Justice and tried to choke out Justice with his Gi. Justice caned himself free and nailed the White Russian Leg Sweep. He fought off a choke and broke Makowski with a DoorVD. Makowski snapped and went for the Gi choke again forcing Justice to tap out. Matt Makowski went completely unhinged here. The precision striking went out of the window as he matched Justice’s crazy. This was an incredible watch and incredibly violent.

Heavy-Hitters Title: Hoodfoot defeated Bobby Beverly (w/Gregory Iron) via Murder Door Uranage

Last but not least, the main event. The Heavy-Hitters title was on the line once again as Bobby Beverly defended it against a long-time foe, Hoodfoot. These two have had wars, what would happen when the rules went out the window. Of course, as Beverly is 44OH! Gregory Iron was attending him. They skipped the UWFI segment and got right down to murder. Hoodfoot had even brought carpet strips. They opened with a hockey fight and Iron instantly interfered with a kendo shot. The fight fell to the outside and Beverly hit Hoodfoot with plunder shot after plunder shot. Any time Hoodfoot looked to come back, Iron would interject. The pair fought around the venue and Beverly posed like he’d already won. 44OH! continued to double-team Hoodfoot but Hoodfoot chopped both away and crushed them with corner splashes before dropping Beverly on his neck with a Saito. He headbutted Beverly repeatedly and took out Iron with a hellacious Suicide Dive. Beverly hit low as Hoodfoot returned to the ring and tortured Hoodfoot in the corner again. He crippled Hoodfoot with a backdrop on the apron and ate more awful headbutts and chair shots. Beverly returned the chair shots and tried to Suplex Hoodfoot through a trashcan. Hoodfoot reversed and Beverly ate the trashcan. Hoodfoot was on fire now as he nailed a Uranage and blasted Beverly with shot after shot. Iron made the save again and Beverly went back to chair shots before delivering a nasty Saito. They played Con-chair-to on Hoodfoot’s head and tried to set up strips but Hoodfoot took him and his stooge out with a double clothesline. Iron was thrown out and a strip duel broke out. Hands were thrown and Hoodfoot went right back after Beverly with more headbutts. Iron made the save again and Beverly gave Hoodfoot a carpet strip Saito. 44OH! swarmed and a final door was set up. They tried to double team Hoodfoot through a door but he blocked and bounced Beverly off Iron and the door with another Uranage. He delivered a second and hammered Beverly until he was out cold. Hoodfoot had survived the 44OH! shenanigans and reclaimed the Heavy-Hitters title after an absolute war. This had been the epitome of Terminal Combat and a very violent end to Beverly’s short reign.

It didn’t end there either as a surprise guest made their way to the ring for a confrontation. Hoodfoot had made it clear no one can touch him and this man was going to try. First, Team Filthy made their play and attacked Hoodfoot. But then, KRS-One hit and our special guest appeared. The Business Billy Dixon was here and scared off Team Filthy. He had done Hoodfoot a favour and now Hoodfoot was going to do him one, by giving him first dibs on a Heavy-Hitters title shot in a fight. Punctuating that message with a dick kick. Things just got very interesting in the Heavy-Hitters Division. What a show, what a set-up, and what a future for Paradigm Pro.

The Business debuts @ParadigmProWres to challenge to the Heavy Hitters Champ @HoodFoot418 to a #JuneteenthJamboree for the #ReasonableDoubt event on Fri 6.18.21 in Colombus, OH streaming live on @indiewrestling.

(PS, @DLockPro, try to top this ? on the mic brother ?) pic.twitter.com/jco4Ll9WF0

— The Business (@TheBillyDixon) May 25, 2021

All images courtesy of Paradigm, MySkewedView, Billy Dixon