DEFCON 2018 - Night 1 CLASH of the BRAZEN III

The Lakefront Arena is jam packed with the DEFIANCE Faithful. Our hosts for the evening is the heart and soul of BRAZEN, Angus Skaaland, joined alongside former Action! and IWO play-by-play man, Greg Parker.

We see some highlights of the undercard, specifically the Bulldogs & Gentlemen’s Agreement from the RISE Tag league and LaCroix pinning Todd Dunson in a house show. They showcase a few bits from Reinhardt Hoffman and Levi Cole, dating back to the first BRAZEN Clash show, and follow it up with highlights hyping tonight’s main event, WAR GAMES. It looms OMINOUSLY above the two rings set up in the center of the arena, and the fans starts to rumble, ready for the show to begin.

DEFIANCE mainstays MDM4 & Sho started off the night, taking on Petey Garrett & Solomon Grendel. Solomon took advantage early, showcasing his strength and size against the speedier MDM4 & Sho. A costly mistake allowed a hot tag, and Sho was a house of fire, taking both Petey and Solomon off their feet with impressive aerial manuevers. Sho tagged MDM4 back in, then leapt over the top rope onto a stunned Solomon Grendel with corkscrew body press. MDM4 & SHO NAKAZAWA d. BRUTAL ATTACK FORCE (Petey Garrett & Solomon Grendel) via submission after MDM4 hit La Muerte on Petey Garrett) at 15:42.

The Barrio Bros came out energetic, making sure to tell everyone to stay “la escuela.” The Safety Patrol passed out water buoys and little floaties to the front row. The Basterds, well, they just stormed to the ring.  Massive Cowboy loomed over everyone, even his partners Earl Roberts and J.J. Dixon. This match was played as a triple threat trios, and as such, started off fast and furious. The Barrio Boys took control early with their double team moves, sending the Safety Patrol flung to the outside. But they ran into a brick wall with the Massive Cowboy, who dominated them with strikes and power. Cowboy took Geraldo out with a back body drop, then both Hugo and Nunez went tumbling outside with a double clothesline. Cowboy then body pressed J.J. Dixon onto the Barrio Boys and the Safety Patrol. He then did the same with Earl Roberts. The Southern Basterds took control from here, with Cowboy locking in wear down holds like nerve clinches and double side headlocks. Earl and Dixon only entered for quick tag maneuvers before giving back control to Cowboy. While Massive Cowboy had both Hugo & Dick Flanagan in side headlocks, the two worked together to hit a massive back suplex. It was a double hot tag, as Geraldo and Sgt. Safety hit the ring, taking down the Massive Cowboy with a double shoulder block, and then taking off the Southern Basterds partners. They got into it, getting into a plain ol brawl as their partners hit the ring to help. Belltron tumbled outside, along with Nunez. But when Massive Cowboy re-entered, he took down Sgt. Safety with his Kung-Fu Lariot. He then took Geraldo off his feet with his Kung-Fu Lariot again. Massive Cowboy spent the next few moments using the same Lariot on Dick Flanagan and Hugo “Lips” Gonzalez. When he turned around. The Barrio Boys (Geraldo Villabolos, Hugo “Lips” Gonzalez, Corey Nunez) d. The Safety Patrol (Sgt. Safety, Dick Flanagan & Jeff Belltron) & the Southern Basterds (Massive Cowboy, Earl Lee Roberts, J. J. Dixon) via pinfall after Geraldo fell on top of Sgt. Safety after a Cowboy’s Kung-Fu Lartio @ 12:54. Gustavo Salazar collected the Barrio Bros and drug them to the back before Cowboy could throw a fit on them. But the Safety Patrol was not as lucky, as Cowboy clocked both Flanagan and Belltron with Kung-Fu Lariots for good measure.

A rematch from the BRAZEN RISE tag league, a rematch from last CLASH. It was a hotly contested contest once again, with the Bulldogs able to counter and put Lord Sewell’s submission work and ground game to the test. Frustrated, OTM took center stage, turning up the pace. But this played directly into the Bulldog’s strategy, allowing them to work their style. It wasn’t until Lord Sewell caught BOTH members of the Bulldogs off of springboards with european uppercuts simultaneously that the pace slowed to a crawl’s pace. Sewell was able to begin dominating in clinches and submission tries, as Oliver Brandt desperately looked toward the bottom ropes. As they tumbled around, Sewell hooked his legs with Oliver’s, and the younger Bulldog desperately flailed for the ropes. The Faithful began to LOUDLY cheer on Oliver, hoping to give him the energy to fight this submission. Oliver though, he was fading as the luchador referee slide into position, and noticed the shoulders. The Louisiana Bulldogs d. Gentleman’s Agreement via pinfall when Lord Sewell refused to release the Naval Command submission and had his shoulders counted to the mat @ 24:32. This was immediately followed by a tap by Oliver Brandt. Sewell released the hold, and then instantly got angry with our official, grabbing him by his lapel. Denver collected Oliver as Sewell shouted and lunged toward the escaping duo.

Before this match began, it was announced this would be for the number one contendership to the BRAZEN championship. The four men made their entrances, with the only thing of note being Gunther Adler’s scowl at the thought of having to face off against his Conclave partner Reinhardt Hoffman. Wolfe and Victorious took one side of the ring over and attacked each other, focusing on standing technical wrestling holds mixed in with strikes. This left Adler and HFIV on the other side, with Adler playing a game of cat and mouse with the sneaky and slippery HFIV. On the apron after an escape, HFIV sprung up and leapt over Adler, sending to the outside both Victorious and Wolfe with dual dropkicks. He used their chests to spring back as best he could, and a handstand to make up the different to hook his legs around an oncoming Adler’s head and headscissor takedown him to the outside. HFIV climbed the top and as all three rose, he dove with a pinwheel senton to cheers. Adler was able to avoid it, and picked up the stunned HFIV and tossed him into the steel steps, into the ringposts and then over the timekeeper’s table. Adler entered the ring and demanded the referee to count everyone out. At five, Wolfe re-entered and Adler and Wolfe got into a huge knife edge chop match. Butcher Victorious then hit the ring himself, and the three of them just started exchanging chops. HFIV was last to enter, and all three other men turned to him and lit his chest up so hard he fell to the mats and rolled back outside. This lead to a further HOSSian exchange between the three remaining competitors. Adler quickly chopped both men down, as Wolfe and Butcher worked to double team Adler in response. With Adler down after a huge double superplex, they looked to each other and charged, firing rights and lefts. Wolfe began to overcome Victorious with chops sending him off the ropes into a reversal. But Wolfe tumbled out of the ring. HFIV had pulled the top rope down. He sprung up, front flipped for a dragon-rana, but Victorious caught him and PLANTED him with a powerbomb. As Butcher shouted down at the broken HFIV, Adler came from behind and hooked in a rear naked choke, the Gojira clutch. Adler fought Butcher down to the mat, but couldn’t hook the legs as Victorious fought back. The Faithful rose to their feet noticing HFIV climbing the corner turnbuckle. Wolfe was there, but HFIV kicked him away. HFIV with his back turned… double rotation moonsault! But it was only on Butcher! Adler broke the hold and rolled away. Adler tosses HFIV out of the ring so he lands on top of the recovering Joe Wolfe. Gunther Adler d. Butcher Victorious, Howlin’ Joe Wolfe & HFIV after stealing the pin off of HFIV’s double rotation moonsault @ 27:39. Gunther Adler is the new number one contender to the BRAZEN Championship. Gunther didn’t wait for his hand to be raised before leaving ringside, shouting as he stormed up the rampway, none too happy.

Quimbly Introduced the two spitfires first Virginia Quell and then WynLyn. The two did not waste much time before the bell rings.
Gin exploded from the corner and tackled Wyn in the corner unloading on her with lefts and rights! Brain Slater quickly got in between them and was able to pull Gin from Wyn, but as he moved her away Wyn flew across the ring and tackled Gin to the ground and unloaded on her with her own brand of fist to cuffs! Brain was knocked away and quickly tried to restore order by once again he tried to separate these two.
Wyn is pulled off and Gin quickly recovered and charged at Wyn who hip tossed her over on her approach. Gin quickly hopped to her feet and lunged at Wyn with a spear! Wyn hit the mat hard and tumbled out of the ring. Gin got to her feet and quickly followed against Slater’s orders. The two brawled back and forth outside as Slater started the count. Wyn managed to irish whip Gin into the barricade. As she appeared to be trying to get away from Quell. She quickly got in the ring and steps a few steps from the ropes and Gin quickly hopped on the apron with a handful of hair. Wyn screamed and quickly spun…
HONEYSUCKLE!!
Wyn retaliated with her roundhouse kick, Gin is shown on the replay and her head hit the apron awkwardly. Slater looked on and starts to count. Wyn exited the ring fast and picked up a lifeless Gin who is clearly out cold. She tosses her in the ring,  and quickly covered!
WynLyn d. Virginia Quell via pinfall @ 6:00 with the Honeysuckle
As Wyn left with a big smile on her face Slater checked on a still unconscious Quell. He motioned for medical to come to the ring. As the staff quickly rushed out, the lights at the ringside and above the ring suddenly got extremely bright! So bright it was hard to see, a few moments passed. The staff in the ring covered their eyes, the lights return to normal and the staff in the ring slowly got their vision back and realized Quell was no longer in the ring they looked around and one medical staff members with his eyes squinting saw someone at the entranceway with Quell in their arms it was Crimson Lord…? He then carried her to the back.

The tandem of Sam Day and Matt LaCroix came together over the past arc over house shows, as Sam Day was a protege of Jack Harmen, and also battled for sobriety. LaCroix also had his demons, and the two paired up to help each other through the tough times. Meanwhile, the once carefree Dunson Clan had run a swath through BRAZEN talent since turning a bit sinister at the last CLASH. Todd and Richie have remained undefeated in tag matches, but Team BAMF does have a singles victory over them. BAMF made their entrance first, wearing colorful matching ring attire. The Dunson Clan entered next to boos, lead by their father. They paid very little mind to the crowd as they entered stoic. The match started fast and furious with Ken and Sam Day taking advantage with superior wrestling skills and double team moves at the start over Todd. After a small miscommunication, Todd was able to lay waist to LaCroix toward his corner and tagged in Richie. The two proceeded to cut the ring off on Matt, hitting him with a double teamed atomic drop clothesline, a drop toe hold into a dropkick, and a double back body drop. LaCroix desperately reached to his corner, but Todd specifically hooked the heel and drug him back toward Richie. Richie hit a front flip piledriver, tug in Todd, and then clocked Sam Day off the ropes. The Dunson Clan d. Team BAMF via pinfall @ 13:14 after Todd Dunson used 1 & Done, Son! The Dunson Clan posed after to boos, as Paul Senior told them not to worry about it. 

We were nearing the end of DEFCon night 1, with only two matches remaining on the agenda. That's when "Overlord" came over the PA system. Angel Trinidad, the HOSS OVERLORD, emerged to massive cheers on his redebut. He hit the ring with a microphone and demanded a challenge from anyone in the back. An unfamiliar tune played, and out emerged a large slender kick boxing frame of a blue afro'd man wearing MMA attire. He was also holding a rather large four foot glass bong. Eddie Cheno, former Asylum fighter, had arrived in BRAZEN. Cheno carefully placed his bong near the ring and entered, to stare down Trinidad. As the bell rang, the HOSS Overlord hit Cheno with a resounding chop to the chest. Cheno backed off, in pain, but caught Trinidad in response with boxing jabs. They primarily brawled on their feet, Cheno focusing on his footwork and his jabs, while Angel caught him with professional wrestling strikes like chops and elbow and especially a clubbing forearm that took Cheno off his feet. Angel caught Cheno with a flying crossbody. Angel Trinidad d. Eddie Cheno @ 8:34 after the Big Damn Bomb via pinfall. Angel extended his hand to a recovering Cheno after, and the two hugged it out in the ring.

We get a video package detailing the tournament for the first ever BRAZEN Champion, ending with Hoffman defeating Levi Cole by submission. We saw a few of their most recent interactions on DEFtv, leading to a house show promo by Cole challenging Hoffman for the title. We saw a graphic, and the fans swell with anticipation. Cole was out first, the fans firmly behind him. He’s got a fire not yet seen. Reinhardt Hoffman was out next, and he looked just as pleased as his cohort Gunther Adler did earlier in the night. The two get a lengthy introduction from Darren Quimbey, and the belt raised between the two of them. Hoffman and Cole stare each other down, and Cole slapped Hoffman, showing no fear. Hoffman dove on him with punches, rabid at first, and then tossed Cole across the ring by just cupping him under his arm pit for a hip toss. Cole charged back with quick hits and chops to either side of the body and ribs, a few to the legs, sending Hoffman to a kneel, and then a shining wizard. Cole tried to ground him with submission holds but Reinhardt fought to his feet, holding Cole there and hitting a powerslam. A german suplex, and a powerbomb followed. Reinhardt looked for the STF, which Cole quickly rolled out of, completely leaving the ring to do so. Reinhardt gave chase, as Cole ran away. As Cole turned a corner, Reinhardt followed and Cole leapt, catching Hoffman with a diving clothesline. Cole barely tossed Reinhardt in, showing immense strength, and then hooked in a surfboard. The luchador ref was there, which Reinhardt shouted NO at. Cole tried to keep the hold in, but Reinhardt after another no powers out, breaking one hand free and rolling to his side. He then kicked Cole completely off. As Cole charged  for a tornado ddt, Hoffman held him in mid-air and then slammed him in a spinebuster. Hoffman tried to lock in the STF but Cole dragged and dove to the bottom rope for safety. Hoffman and Cole circled each other, into a collar and elbow, Hoffman into a side headlock and Cole tried to lift him, but can’t. Hoffman transitioned into an abdominal stretch, as Cole screamed in pain. Hoffman slapped Cole’s exposed ribs twice, and then grabbed the top rope. The referee checked on Cole who yells in pain no, and then turned to Reinhardt who just let go of the ropes and plead innocence. Back to check on Cole, Hoffman again grabbed, but the referee caught it quickly enough and kicked Hoffman’s hand free. Cole hit a hip toss out of the move, and then into a seated fujiwara armbar. The Faithful go nuts as Hoffman desperately clinched his fingers together to avoid Cole locking the move in and ending this match. When Cole finally broke the fingers, Hoffman rolled with it and just punched and wailed away at Cole. Cole relinquished the hold, bloodied from the brawl. Hoffman got to his feet and shouts at Cole he should give up NOW! Cole tried to get to his feet but Hoffman just kicked him back down. Hoffman off and hit a curb stomp on Cole. He posed to the crowd who booed him vehemently. Cole from behind with a school boy, but he broke it quickly and then puts his boot between Hoffman’s legs. Reinhardt tried to fight, but Cole turns him over in a sharpshooter. Hoffman screamed in pain, trying to reach back to brace his legs hips and spine. Hoffman shouted no at the official, and even swatted at him and then covered his head in his hands. The Faithful shouted “Tap Tap Tap” as Cole wrenched the hold in further. But Hoffman used this to grab Cole by his tights and YANK him back, so the back of his head struck against the corner turnbuckle. The fans booed as Hoffman recovered, hit Cole with a HUGE flapjack, before locking his legs with Coles, and then hooking the head. Cole screamed, eyes wide, desperately flailing for the ropes.  Cole reached, he stretched, and began to crawl toward the bottom rope. It got closer and closer as the Faithful grew louder and louder. Until Hoffman broke the hold, drug Cole away from the ropes and successfully locked the STF in once more. Cole reached out, for one final swat toward the bottom rope, but he was in the center of the ring. Reinhardt Hoffman d. Levi Cole via Submission @ 34:20 with the STF. Hoffman rolled off and collected his championship. Cole recovered, standing to meet Hoffman after he posed, and simply extended his hand. Hoffman looked down at it and laughed before exiting the ring. He raised the title above his head high as he stomped up the rampway.

Tonight’s main event, three steel smaller cages surrounding ringside, one in front of the announce booth, one by the side INTV stage, and the final on the rampway. NJNP made their entrance first, none too happy to be locked into the cage, but happy with the tactical advantage of going last.Neighborhoodlum stayed on the outside, cheering them on. Viking War Cult were next, as they took the side INTV stage cage. It was Floki Holmstrom who headed to ring to take the first spot for the VWC, as Cul remained out of the cage ready to strike. Next was PCP, who emerged from the mouth of an alligator made as a parade float, with streamers and confetti pouring everywhere. There was a large “Lake Placid Vi 2” logo on both sides of the float. The D shoved both Klein and Flex into the cage and locked them inside before heading to the ring.

We started with D and Floki, and it started with a collar and elbow tie up, into an impressive exchange of holds and submissions before the D caught Floki with a drop toe hold into a floatover headlock. Floki was able to power out of it and caught the D with a stiff right hand. The D recoiled, shouted “not the moneymaker!” and charged in to a hockey brawl with Floki. Holmstrom took the advantage sending the D into the ropes so he tumbled over and landed in between the two rings. Floki hooked D in the ropes and just leveled into him with rights and chops before the D backflipped into the other ring. Floki gave chase, and the D hooked his tights and pulled him face first into the cage wall. The D took advantage until the countdown rang to zero and Felton Bigsby was let loose. Bigsby hit the ring quickly and attacked the D from behind, flinging him into the cage wall. Floki got up and Felton did the same to him, before taking the D and Floki and slamming their heads into each other with a double noggin knocker. Felton used his strength and power to attack and dominate the round, sending Floki skyward in a big back body drop to the other ring, and then launching the D like a lawn dart over the ropes to the other ring so he collided with Floki on the way.

As the countdown fell, Bigsby turned toward the entrance way and flexed. PCP’s pod was next, and Flex took that as a challenge, keeping Klein in his pod to modest boos. Flex hit ringside and him and Bigsby got into a pose down, which allowed Floki to attack Klein from behind. Felton laughed, but then the D recovered and shoved him face first into the cage wall. Flex quickly turned the tables on Floki and hit a huge flapjack as he came off the ropes. The D tossed Bigsby into Flex and he lifted him in a gorilla press, doing a few pumps before tossing him down back first. The D and Flex took advantage of the numbers by isolating the ring, sending Bigsby hurdling into the other ring and attacking Floki specifically. When the next countdown rang out, Ivar made his way to the ring and evened the odds with his brother, striking the D and Flex with furious passion. He took the D off his feet with a shoulder block, as Flex lifted Ivar in a gorilla press, Floki toppled down and clipped Flex’s knee out from him. Bigsby and the D were in one side of the ring, with Bigsby taking advantage of Ivar’s attack on D. The Holmstrom bros focused on Flex in the other ring, until the countdown started and Rosey Owens made his gargantuan debut in this match. He hit both Floki and Ivar with a double body press that broke through their attempted double clothesline. Rosey then body splashed on top of the fallen Flex Kruger. It was here where Bigsby lifted the D for an atomic drop, and placed the D on Rosey’s shoulders before Owens turned and powerbombed the D on top of Flex. With the odds even and the officials focusing on the action in the ring, there was commotion up on the ramp as the Neighborhoodlum had walked over to PCP’s pod and begun messing with the lock. The cameras caught it, as Klein grabbed him by his lapel through the bars and YANKED him into them face first, sending the Neighborhoodlum down and out.

With the countdown echoing through the Faithful, Klein emerged from his pod and hit the ring to wild cheers. Both Felton and Rosey quickly attacked with clubbing blows to cut him off but Klein powered to his feet, swatting Bigsby away. He then pressed his shoulder into Rosey’s gut and with an impressive feat of strength lifted him onto his shoulders. Klein airplane spun Rosey around, catching Felton, Ivar, Floki and even Flex with Rosey's spinning boots. With everyone stunned and the D avoiding that ring entirely, Klein kept rotating and spinning with the Faithful counting each rotation. Dazed, the box man planted his feet. Klein hucked Rosey and caught him with a ¾ neck breaker on the way down. Klein went on top for the cover but, it’s War Games, there are no pins. So Ivar and Floki dove on top with strikes, trying to dismantle the big box man. Of course, once the countdown ended, we had our next participant, the humongous Torvald the Destroyer. Klein powered out from Floki and Ivar, sending Floki flying to one side into the cage wall, and Ivar flying to the other side up and over the top rope into the other ring. Torvald almost ripped the cage door clean off its hinges as he entered the ring, staring down the big box man Klein. The two had a moment of anticipation before lock up, as Torvald let loose with a vicious overhand palm strike to the chest. Klein felt it, clutching his beat red chest, and returned the favor. These two big men just kept slapping the hell out of each other, when Klein pointed behind Torvald. The D had climbed as high as he could, and was hanging upside down from the locked overhead cage wall. As Torvald turned, the D let go, falling into Torvald’s arms. The Destroyer had caught the D, and then launches him into Klein, sending both men down. Flex now to his feet, tries to hook Torvald behind up onto his shoulders but Torvald is a no go, and just swats him loudly on his ribs to break up the attempt. Torvald then catches Flex with a belly to belly suplex that shakes the ring.

From opposite sides, Rosey Owens charged for a frontal clothesline as Felton Bigsby clipped the legs out from Torvald just as the final countdown ends. Theo Baylor hit the ring holding a bag, and joined Rosey and Felton just stomping away at the larger Torvald the Destroyer. Ivar and Floki have recovered and leap off the top turnbuckles, Ivar taking out Felton and Floki begin caught in the hands of Rosey. Rosey paced around the ring and splats Floki. Ivar keeps laying in with rights and lefts to Felton.

Theo Baylor reaches into his bag’s contents and pulled out and poured out a bunch of what look to be handcuffs. Theo reached over to the fallen Floki, splatted by Rosey, and handcuffed his hand to the bottom rope. He goes over to the fallen PCP members, but Flex cut him off with a double ax handle to the back. Rosey Owens however, saw this and just SPLATED him in the corner for his troubles. Rosey then charged the other side and SPLATED Ivar, who was too busy slamming rights into Felton. He then charges out of the corner and jumps, body splashing the fallen Torvald. Rosey rolled Torvald to the ring ropes, as a stunned Theo headed over and handcuffed Torvald’s ankle to the bottom rope. Felton meanwhile locked Ivar in the other corner, causing all three members of the Viking War Cult to be incapacitated. NJNP then look to the PCP, who are recovering in the far ring. They had a brief stare down before they both charge toward each other, two ropes in their way. The D springboarded and leapt with his D in your Face, a stinger splash that took Theo Baylor off his feet. The D began to rummage through Theo’s pockets as Klein and Flex kept Rosey and Felton busy. Big back body drop from Klein on Rosey, as Flex hit a full nelson suplex on Bigsby. The D stood to his feet, holding the master key to the handcuffs high. He looked at the fallen and cuffed Viking War Cult, and quickly rummaged around the ring, kicking handcuffs out through the little holes inside the classic blue steel cage. Once he noticed all the handcuffs are gone, the D tossed the keys into the crowd to wild cheers. He didn’t realize however, that Theo had a handcuff still in his hands, and he just punched the D with the serrated edge. The D clutched his head, blood starting to trickle, as Theo tossed the cuff toward Rosey who caught it. He then LATCHES it onto Klein, and then, in a state of confusion, latched the other end to his OWN hand. He then charged, tumbling with Klein through the ropes into the far clear ring.

Flex turned to Bigsby and caught him with a huge shoulder block, but Theo spun him around and SLAMMED him into the mat with Welcome to LA, before spinning Flex over and locking in a hold. Flex screams in pain, eyes wide, and he just can’t hold on. No Justice, No Peace d. The Pop Culture Phenoms & Viking War Cult via Theo Baylor Submission on Flex Kruger @ 53:43 with Welcome to LA into a Boston Crab. NO JUSTICE, NO PEACE are the NEW DEFIANCE/BRAZEN Trios Champions. Theo brings Felton back to his feet, holding him up by his shoulders as he tells him the good news. Neighborhoodlum has rushed the time keeper and stolen the TRIOs titles, and begins to rip and tear at the lock caged wall before Carla Ferrari, the one DEF official here to help War Games out, open the cage for him. He almost trips entering the ring with the three belts weighing him down but catches himself on the ring ropes. He hands one strap to Theo and the other to Felton. The three go to Rosey, who’s sitting up and imagining cartoon birdies floating around his head. The three of them help Rosey to his feet, and then proceed to each climb a turnbuckle, raising their hands in the air as officials help and tend to the fallen Viking War Cult and PCP members. The last image is of Theo Baylor raising the DEFIANCE TRIOs title belt high above his head, as Greg Parker and Angus promoted their victory and told the Faithful to tune in to Night 2 of DEFCon.