WARNING: STRONG VIOLENCE AND LANGUAGE AHEAD
Welcome back to H2O and to one of the most important shows of the company’s history. 44OH! has plagued H2O for too long now and Matt Tremont was using HustleMania 4 as the way to shut them down for good. All four H2O would be defended with H2O’s best and brightest looking to capture them. Alongside that, we’d have plenty of showcase matches for the rising stars, Eddy Only would take on Dan O’Hare and we’d get the long-awaited Jimmy Lyon vs Alex Colon deathmatch. Plus, there’d be plenty of surprises along the way. Let’s get into the action.
Alex Colon defeated Jimmy Lyon via Camel Clutch
Starting the show was one of the most anticipated matches in H2O. Alex Colon always wants to test the deathmatch best and now he’d come for Jimmy Lyon. Their first match had fallen through so now they were going to bring out the crimson under regular deathmatch rules. It was going to get nasty. This started out as a wrestling match and descended into Colon giving Lyon the glassing of a lifetime. Tubes kept breaking as Colon stabbed and smashed Lyon with the broken glass. Colon was really feeling murderous tonight and just wouldn’t let Lyon breathe. When Chondo thought he had an opening it fell away and led back to light tube city for him. Colon even brought out a water jug to beat him like a pinata. They battled around a tube chair and Lyon fired up on tube shots to drop Colon on it with a rolling cutter. An angry slugfest broke out and when Colon got the better of that, he threw Lyon into more tubes around the ring. Lyon got vengeance with a tube rake and tried for a Superplex but Colon punched free and trapped Lyon in a tree of woe. Lyon fought off the double stomp so Colon ruined him with a barbed-wire bundle sliding dropkick. He followed up with a tube double stomp and only got a one-count. Colon pummelled down Lyon again with stiff headbutts and tube shots but he couldn’t get the Spanish Fly off so Lyon dropped him with a top rope Destroyer onto a bundle. Colon kicked out at two so Lyon set up an electric bundle and tried for a DVD. Colon countered and threw Lyon throw the bundle and tried for the Camel Clutch. Lyon would give up so Colon brained him with a TV and reapplied the hold until Lyon passed out. This was epic. Lyon keeps proving to be one hell of a tough SOB even in defeat. Colon had to work to end him and as a result, we got this fucking masterpiece of a match.
Eddy Only defeated Dan O’Hare via Handcuff Collision
Ah, consequences. We all must face them for our actions and Eddy Only was due some for the circumstances of his return. Now he was facing the wrath of the law, Dan O’Hare. Only tried sucking up to the police force and their past but O’Hare wasn’t here to suck up, he was out to kick ass. This was a much more traditional match as Only tried to work around being overpowered and continuously complained about O’Hare pulling his hair. Only fought smart and found the best ways to outplay O’Hare and piss off the fans. It turned out the ref was the turning point for O’Hare as even he got sick of Only’s shit. O’Hare made only suffer but it was never quite enough as Only always had a stall tactic or cheap trick. Only narrowly survived being hit with an elbow drop and distracted the ref long enough to nail O’Hare with his own handcuffs to take the win. Judge Dredd was Judge Dead as Only gave 44OH! their first win of the night. This match was definitely a personality bout for Only as he keeps showing us the mannerisms he’s picked up from fallen legends. Fuck 44OH! Count: 1
Christina Von Eerie defeated Jenny Rose via Jack Knife Pin
It was time to get a bit punk-rock in the H2O Centre. Christina Von Eerie was returning to the company and was going to be taking on one of the trainers, Jenny Rose. This clash could go anywhere as the pair’s history could spill through. This was 100 mph from the start. Eerie matched Rose’s technical ability and quickly had Rose trapped for her signature spots including the Oi Kicks and the Dead Rising. Rose hammered her way back into the match and nearly picked up the win with a body slam. Eerie found herself getting tenderised but a trip into the ropes and a boot scrape saw her come right back into things. The pair kept throwing bombs and trading holds as Rose wouldn’t be mocked. A pinfall war broke out and Von Eerie took the win with a Jack-Knife pin. This match was short and sweet with both women showing off their skills in the time they had. It was competitive from the start and let both fighters have their moments.
Four-Way Fight: Adonis Valero defeated Mouse, Bam Sullivan & Marcus Mathers via Roll-up on Mouse
Okay, time to up the chaos as we went into a four-man war. Bam Sullivan and Mouse found themselves in another fight but they couldn’t just battle their Extricated fallout demons, they would also have to contend with the young prodigy Marcus Mathers and the anti-role-model Adonis Valero. Sullivan and Mouse took their war to the outside as Sullivan couldn’t leave old wounds alone so Valero and Mathers had the ring to themselves. This proved to be a great spotlight for Valero as he and Mathers got to use the match time to show what they can do as the personal animosity between Mouse and Sullivan kept them focused on each other. The two fights finally collided and everyone got hit in the dick. Everyone traded forearms and Mouse vs Sullivan took centre stage. Everyone got nailed with killing blows and Valero took the big win with a roll-up on Mouse. Valero had come in the dark horse and came away the winner as everyone’s personal shit got in the way of their place in the match. It told a great little story and showcased that personal rivalries and distractions can always bite you in the ass, especially if you’re Sullivan and Mouse. They didn’t stop fighting even when the match was over.
Brandon Kirk defeated Reid Walker via Tanaka Cutter
It was time for the next episode of that popular H2O sitcom, Everyone Hates Brandon as Reid Walker lined up to be the next victim in Brandon Kirk’s war against the H2O Rising Stars. He’d even been made a trainer now which meant he could study them even more before kicking their ass. This was going to get very physical. This definitely became a battle of veteran savvy taking on youthful energy as Kirk used his smarts to have the better of Walker. It got very stiff and very physical as Kirk made Walker suffer every time he went flying or tried to get the better of him. Cowboy Kirk made an appearance and made Walker suffer using the ring post. The sharp chops kept echoing throughout the centre as Kirk took great delight in trying to bruise and break Walker’s back. Walker got some revenge but the match was never too out of Kirk’s control as he always had a counter ready. By the end, both were hurting from the kicks, crashes, and heavy hits they’d taken. Kirk came away the winner but Walker had definitely left a mark here. It might be fuck the Kirks but honestly, this was one hell of an outing for the Rogue, proving once again just how damn good he is. Though you can never stay positive with him for long as he went right back to being a dick with a post-match beatdown until Austin Luke scared him off.
Tim Donst defeated Austin Luke via Crossface
Since Austin Luke was already out, it was time for his match with the veteran Tim Donst. We’ve seen Donst lurk around the H2O Centre and usually shout at people, now he was going to wrestle one of its brightest prospects. Donst has always been an innovator so this should be one hell of a fight. That’s just what we got an excellent mix of grappling, striking, and personality as Luke tried to exacerbate an existing groin injury and break the leg of Donst. Despite the wear and tear Donst kept finding ways back and giving Luke hell. Both guys kept the flow going with strike exchanges, pinfall wars and so much more. This was just pure, great wrestling. There was so much to enjoy as Donst kept adding so many little quirks to the match that made it even more fun to watch. Luke gave as good as he got and had Donst limping for a lot of the match. It was highly competitive until the end as Luke kept throwing out bombs and Donst had to tap him out with a Crossface. Much like Walker before him, Luke had come away the loser but he had definitely left his mark on Donst. What a fun match.
H2O Hybrid Title: Kennedi Copeland defeated Gregory Iron via Fujiwara Armbar
Following the H2O Hall of Fame presentation of Matt Tremont’s trainer Pryme Tyme Amy Lee, we started the title rush of the show. First up was the H2O Hybrid Title. This would be the Hardcore Daughter Kennedi Copeland’s next shot at H2O gold as she looked to ruin Gregory Iron’s title reign. This started with a war of words and ended very damn quickly as Copeland trapped Iron in the Fujiwara Armbar and tapped Iron out. It had taken less than a minute for Kennedi Copeland to make H2O history. She is the first female Hybrid Champion and managed to almost break Iron’s arm for being a mocking creep. Take that 44OH! 44OH! Fucked Count: 1
H2O Tag Titles Falls Count Anywhere: Chris Bradley & Kristian Ross defeated 44OH! (Eric Ryan & Bobby Beverly) & White Trash Forever (Bruce Grey & Tyler Voxx) via Spear/Splash on Beverly
Well well well, seems like 44OH! aren’t the only ones who can change the rules when they want to. The former champions Chris Bradley and Kristian Ross decided to cash in a rematch and made this WTF vs 44OH! affair a three-way dance. Now 44OH! had to contend with the white trash warlords but also the young guns they’d taken the titles from. It opened with a game of 44OH! pinball and once they’d been cleared out, the other teams started to fight each other too. 44OH! played it smart and let the two teams break each other, then struck, taking out WTF. They didn’t get to enjoy that advantage for long though as the numbers quickly stacked up again and Ross and Bradley made them suffer. They fought all around the venue and Ryan brought out the forks to cut up his foes. We got fan interaction, bin shots and so much more across the runtime of the match. it was a continuous car crash of carnage as everyone desperately tried to get the win. If you’d ever wanted to see Eric Ryan snap, this was one of the matches to see. Bradley certainly took the nastiest of falls as he was dumped on a fork pile by 44OH! though Ryan came a close second as Voxx almost put a cigarette out on him. We got another incredible one-armed Grey beatdown that forced Ryan to take him out. Just as it looked like 44OH! would have another win, Ross pounced Ryan out of the air and the H2O Rising Stars took the win a Spear and Splash combo. They had taken a stab at the tag titles again and used the chaos to take the win. This was a big win for H2O and another black eye for 44OH! 44OH! Fucked Count: 2
H2O Danny Havoc Hardcore Title Stairway to Havoc: Atticus Cogar defeated Deklan Grant via Skewered leg trap
Cogar gives the belt a sweet lil kissy before double stomping the soul out of Grant #Hustlemania4 @H2OWRESTLING @indiewrestling @Atticus_Cogar @Thegrimybastard pic.twitter.com/UJgIhDJWA7
— ??????? (@dabbath_) September 26, 2021
The title rush continued with the Stairway to Havoc Match. It was time to bring out the ladders as Deklan Grant and Atticus Cogar renewed the hostilities that had arisen during Hardcore kingdom. Grant wanted that Danny Havoc Hardcore Title and now all that was between him and that title was Atticus Cogar and a long climb. The déjà vu was strong with this match. This was a pure fight from start to finish as the pair just tried to tear each other apart with whatever was around. There was very little finesse, just pure hatred, and murder. Things got really uncomfortable as we saw what both guys would use the ladders for in order to win. There were brutal assaults and harsh ladder bombs as both guys found victory would not be so easily achieved. I’d never really seen a ride the pony spot on a ladder before but Cogar sure felt it. Cogar seemed to have victory in his hands but he ignored it to crush Grant with a double stomp off the ladder. That cocky move cost Cogar though as his ankle started giving him trouble. Grant seized the opportunity and murdered Cogar with more ladder landings. He too though got too into it and took himself out of the match with an awful landing. Cogar pulped Grant’s head with a ladder con-chair-to and insulted Danny Havoc. Grant brought him crashing down again and tanked the skewers to deliver a TKO. They duked it out one final time on the ladder and Cogar skewered Grant a second time. Instead of trying to throw him off though, Cogar just trapped Grant in the ladder and forced him to watch as he took the title. Payback is a bitch and Cogar hadn’t forgotten. This was so much better than I expected it to be. These two nearly killed each other for that title but at the same time, told a story in what could have easily become a spot match. I am genuinely blown away by this one. Fuck 44OH! Count: 2
H2O Heavyweight Title House of Havoc: Rickey Shane Page defeated Chuck Payne, Ron Mathis & Devon Moore via General’s Order 24 on Moore
Undertaker vs. Mankind (1998) #Hustlemania4 @H2OWRESTLING pic.twitter.com/d5fd8gGIAA
— ??????? (@dabbath_) September 26, 2021
Last but not least, the main event. Rickey Shane Page, the ringleader of 44OH! and current H2O Heavyweight champion was about to fight against the worst odds he’d come across yet. Not only was he taking part in a House of Havoc match, but he would also be doing so against Chuck Payne, Ron Mathis, and Devon Moore. These three opponents were all ready to tear him apart for a chance to hold that gold again. RSP would have to rely on all his cunning and skill to get through this one. If he gave a shit about the odds though, he sure wasn’t showing it. He was as confident as ever. As expected, everyone jumped RSP to start the match and brained him with plunder and power moves. He was winded with a ladder to the gut and continuously worked over as everyone vented their 44OH! frustrations on him. RSP craftily broke that fragile alliance by shunting a barbed-wire chair wielding Mathis into Payne and watched the powder keg explode from a safe distance. Payne obliterated Moore and Mathis with chokeslams and walked into a trashcan lid to the face from RSP. Now RSP had his pick of opponents and started tearing into them with a barbed-wire chair. He became unstoppable as he threw plunder and bodies at everyone else in the match. We even saw him grind a barbed-wire wreath into Moore’s head using nothing but his boot. Moore used the cage to send RSP flying with a Tornado DDT and Mathis started throwing bodies with the Sack of Shit toss. Payne was the last to his feet but made sure to make it count with lariats and a vicious Black Hole Slam. He was taking out by a barbed-wire chair to the face and an X-Factor. The shocks and surprises kept coming as the fighters threw out more and more kill-shots.
#Hustlemania4 Clip
The Dev & Mathis CRASH thru the CAGE
HOUSE of HAVOC
BARBED WIRE CAGE MATCHH2O Championship
(c) @rickeyshanepage
vs @TheChuckPayne1
vs@dmooreh20
vs @RonMathis13Replay Available Now On Demand on IWTV ?
?? https://t.co/FJYPNWfsto pic.twitter.com/gsLA5qjuS2— H2O Wrestling: Hardcore Hustle Organization (@H2OWRESTLING) September 26, 2021
The monsters of the match renewed hostilities and Payne chokeslammed RSP into tacks. He fell onto a board and Payne scaled a ladder a nearby ladder. RSP followed him up and sent the monster falling to his doom through the barbed-wire platform. Moore and Mathis launched into a punching party and Moore sacrificed life and limb to drive Mathis through a cage wall into a fuckery pile below with a rolling DVD. He rushed back to the ring to hit RSP with the General’s Order but only got two. Just when it all seemed to be falling into place, Deklan Grant rushed the ring and attacked his former tag partner with a barbed-wire bat. He nailed a TKO and RSP ended things with a Chokebreaker into the General’s Order 24 for the win. This was another shock for H2O as one of its most ardent defenders just prevented his friend from taking that title away from 44OH! Grant stormed off, leaving RSP and the H2O audience in disbelief. That was the big ending to a match that had been a total car crash of fun. RSP managed to be the glue holding together this psychological spot fest of the main event. Matt Tremont was furious and decided to take matters into his own hands. November 27th, one final time, it’ll be Matt Tremont vs RSP, no rope barbed-wire. It looks like Tremont will have to be the one to break RSP’s curse. That finished one thrilling show and left everyone hungry for the next barrage of shows in October and now, November. The Motherfucking Bulldozer is back and he is coming for anyone threatening his company. Fuck 44OH! Count: 3
All images courtesy of H2O, Chris Grasso, Dabbath,Queen of the Indies Tiffany