16th Annual CZW Tournament Of Death Review
16th Annual CZW Tournament Of Death Review
First Round Match:
Jeff Cannonball vs G-Raver: Lightubes & Cinderblocks
In the match Cannonball was quickly busted open. G-Raver tried many spots, but came up short on a few and things did not go as planned. Cannonball was able to withstand a lot of pain in this match, including a cinder block to the head and having needles stuck in his head and arm. Cannonball proved this year that he’s quickly becoming a veteran of TOD and was able to beat G-Raver after he landed a piledriver on a cinder block that had lightubes attached to it.
Winner: Jeff Cannonball
First Round Match:
Conor Claxton vs Clint Margera: Barbed Wire Craziness
The two quickly showcased their wrestling skills as the matched opened. For awhile Margera has the edge, taking Claxton to the limit. Claxton took a big fall on a trampoline wrapped in the barbed wire. Margera left it all out there as he jumped off the ring crew truck landing on Claxton and the trampoline. Claxton a veteran of TOD didn’t give in. He and Margera battled out from the crowed and back in the ring where claxton would turn it on. Eventually Claxton was able to piledrive Margera through a board and pick up the win.
Winner: Conor Claxton
First Round Match:
Masada vs Shlak: Doorway To Death
Masada the Deathmatch King quickly took it to Shlak. The two men battled back and fourth and put each through a lot. In the match we saw wooden doors with lightubes taped on it, wooden doors with tacks glued on it, and wooden doors with barbed wire on it. Every door was used and they implemented the tools of violence very well. Masada was able to pick up the win after the ref called the match when Masada placed wooden skewers in Shlak’s head. After the match Masada got on the mic and put over Shlak calling him “The face of CZW.”
Winner: Masada
First Round Match:
John Wayne Murdoch vs Rickey Shane Page vs Jimmy Havoc:
Pain in the Glass
Jimmy Havoc was very strategic in this match. Havoc started the match off by going to the outside and letting Murdoch and Page go at it. In the match Page was put through pain. He took three lightubes to the mouth and was dragged around the glass covered canvas. Each men exchanged going through the panes of glass. The panes had tacks, and barbed wire on them. Murdoch was able to deliver a Canadian Destroyer to Page, the crowd thought he had the win until Havoc came in and stole the victory.
Winner: Jimmy Havoc
Non Tournament Match:
Jimmy Loyd vs Kit Osbourne vs George Gatton vs Dan O’Hare:
4 Corners of Pain
In this non tournament match we saw some men who hadn’t really experienced the deathmatch style. Jimmy Loyd impressed many as he was able to land a piledriver on Osbourne through the glass pane. Loyd kept a good pace in the match, but the other men proved to be too much. Loyd was put through a glass pane that had razor blades on it. One of the blades got stuck in Loyd’s hand. The pain didn’t stop as he was also struck in the stomach by a weed whacker thanks to Dan O’Hare. Osbourne tried to implement the violence by introducing a flaming bat as O’Hare introduced a flaming door. O’Hare was able to reverse Osbourne’s swing and spear him through the flaming door, this lead to O’Hare picking up the win.
Winner: “The Big Scare” Dan O’Hare
Semi-Finals Match:
Cannonball vs Conor Claxton: Summertime Fun DeathMatch
The two traded blows early in the match. Claxton would be suplexed and thrown on two trash cans that were covered in barbed wire. They fought through the crowd, but found their way back to the ring. Cannonball would land a piledriver onto a watermelon, but Claxton proved to be to much. Claxton would drive Cannonball onto a spiked board. One time was not enough as Claxton went to the top rope with a skate board and jumped onto the board driving it into Cannonball. Claxton would pick up the win after this move.
Winner: Conor Claxton
Semi-Finals Match:
Masada vs Jimmy Havoc: Lightube Treachery
The two started off the match with traditional wrestling. Masada would send Havoc into a board covered in barbed wire and lightubes. Throughout the match Havoc came back using his UK style of wrestling landing big kicks to Masada. The King of the DeathMatch would not be shown up as he drove Havoc through lightubes that were placed on a table. Unfortunately for Masada Havoc would do the same to him. The table didn’t break and Masada landed with a thud. Havoc took advantage and used a traditional clothesline that would put away Masada.
Winner: Jimmy Havoc
Non Tournament Match:
“Father” Matthew Tremont vs Mad Man Pondo:
Fans Bring The Weapons
Tremont took a lot of pain early in the match going through a door with lightubes taped on it and going through a fan with lightubes taped on it. Pondo continued his attack and hit Tremont with a power saw to the groin area. Tremont battled back hitting Pondo with a lightube. Pondo introduced a unique tool of violence in the form of children’s blocks. Pondo would slam Tremont onto the blocks and he didn’t stop there. Tremont also took a saw blade to the head twice. Eventually Pondo would get Tremont hung up in the corner where he would place a stop sign in front of Tremont’s face and throw a bowling ball at it. Pondo liked the move so much he then did it again to Tremont, but this time used the bowling ball to break lightubes. Tremont would battle back placing Pondo’s head in a trash can that had lightubes in it and slammed Pondo. Tremont was able to slam Pondo onto a bike and Pondo went down for the three count.
Winner: “Father” Matthew Tremont
*** After the match Tremont got on the mic and said Pondo was another legend off his list of Tremont’s Summer Tour 2017 of Ultra Violence. Tremont reminded the crowd that on August 5th at CZW Once in a Lifetime he will do the same thing to Atsushi Onita. Pondo then grabs the mic and shares how he felt DeathMatch wrestling was dying until he saw how many people came out today. He thanks the crowd for coming and chanting the name Pondo. He tells a quick story of how he is often asked by wrestlers how they know if they made it. He says he tells them to wrestle in Philly, Jersey, and Delaware and they’ll find out because those fans have seen it all.
Non Tournament Match:
Notorious Inc. (Devon Moore & Drew Blood) vs Danny Havoc & Alex Colon:
Scaffold Match
The teams started off the match trading blows with lightubes. Colon landed a great dropkick that would give his team the advantage. Moore and Blood would battle back as Moore jumped from the scaffold onto Blood and Havoc. After the move Moore was hurt very badly as what we assume is a broke ankle (coming into the event Moore had previously injured his ankle). Kit Osbourne would come to the ring to help out Blood. Havoc would welcome him by sending him through a board covered in barbed wire. Colon helped keep his team on top by flipping himself and Blood off of the scaffold and onto a wooden board. Osbourne continued to feel the damage as he was slammed onto a pile of chairs. Havoc would slam Osbourne onto a table and follow up with an elbow drop. The drop didn’t break the table and so he went for it again and this time breaks through the table. This was enough to give him and Colon the win.
Winners: Danny Havoc & Alex Colon
*** After the match Havoc thanks the crowd for allowing him to do what he does. He talks about the new talent in the back and claims he doesn’t think he can keep up with them. He says he started his career at TOD and should end it there too. Colon grabs the mic and tells Havoc that this isn’t going to be his last match. Colon tells Havoc that he doesn’t like him, but came here out of respect. He tells Havoc he has one more match left against him. Colon tells Havoc to make the match happen, he says he doesn’t care if it’s tacks, wire, or fire because he will bleed all night with him. Havoc says he respects Colon and that he is tough and talented. Havoc obey’s Colon’s wishes and tells him that he’s got the match coming up in September. Colon tells him to get ready because it is going to be a war.
Final Match:
Conor Claxton vs Jimmy Havoc:
No Ropes Barbed Wire Lightube Madness
Early in the match the two men exchange a series of kicks and forearms. Havoc gets an early advantage sending Claxton into the barbed wire ropes. He is able to knock Claxton off the ring and into lightubes on the ground. Havoc went to the outside and continued to stay on Claxton. He slammed Claxton into the ring post followed by the guard rail. Havoc keeps the attack going blasting Claxton with lightubes. Claxton knows the game and can take pain as he quickly comes back and hits Havoc with lightubes. Claxton then drives Havoc’s face onto more lightubes that were placed on chairs. Claxton then drives Havoc onto a glass pane that was placed on part of a steel cage. Both men go through and the medics are called to check on Havoc who is badly busted open. The match continues and Havoc gets in control. He is able to send Claxton through a box that has barbed wire on the inside. After this move Havoc drives Claxton through lightubes on the wooden boards of the ring. Havoc gets the 1 2 3 and wins TOD 16.
Tournament Of Death Winner:
Jimmy Havoc
*** After the Match Rickey Shane Page comes out gives praise to Jimmy Havoc. He tells the crowd that when you bleed black and yellow you deserve it. Page tells Havoc that he did just that and gives him a big congrats. Conor Claxton comes back in and hits Page with lightubes. He then piledrives Havoc and breaks Havoc’s TOD trophy. Claxton leaves and Page comes to and grabs the mic. He challenges Claxton to a match in July. Havoc then grabs the mic and says this is a dream come true to wrestle here. He tells the crowd he will never forget it and that he loves them, the company, and the United States. He thanks everyone and gives a final goodbye.
Final Thoughts
“The Woodstock of Pro Wrestling.” There is nothing like TOD, from the fans to wrestlers this is a breed of their own. The fans come early and sit and wait for the destruction to begin. Many people arrived early around noon. They stayed all day watching in awe as these men battled it out.
The fans are some of the most loyal group of people I’ve seen. This isn’t really about who wins or who loses, but more about the appreciation of what these men are willing to go through for the fans entertainment. The fans cheer and boo like you would expect, but at the end of the day they respect each man that steps into the CZW ring. All day they tell stories and reflect on all the years on Ultra Violence.
CZW as a whole is one big family. Each person helps out the next to insure that the fans get what they deserve. There is no anger, there is just respect from the everyone. The crew at CZW works very hard and keeps the show moving. From glass to cinder blocks, to barbed wire they get it set up and taken down quickly. They give a unique show, but not just from what they do in the ring. They’re unique in how they allow fans to come early and see the preparations, they allow them to stay all day and give no time limits. They give them what they paid for.
To me CZW is a well organized, respectful group of individuals that pay honor to all styles of wrestling. When you attend CZW you get the best of everything. TOD is like nothing you’ve seen before and even though some call it crazy it’s really not. These are guys that are willing to give all they have for the fans. Yes it is violent, but the love and passion shines through that. There is nothing like watching guys give everything they have in the ring.
I think more credit needs to be give to the companies owner DJ Hyde. DJ works his butt off making sure not only TOD is amazing, but every single CZW show. I watched as DJ wasn’t noise backstage, but instead helped in setting up and taking down of the event. This one guy who truly loves pro wrestling and shows his guys and girls of CZW that no matter who you are if you love this then you give it 110%. I recommend to anyone who loves pro wrestling to check out CZW. It truly will leave a lasting impression and give you something you’ve never seen before. CZW!!!