2022 Milo Flynn Cup Night 1 Recap

RingDispatch.com presents:

 

2022 MILO FLYNN CUP
NIGHT ONE RECAP

By: Tanner Quest

 

Hello again, faithful readers. Thanks for coming back and supporting the site. Trying to get this out as quick as I can tonight, and rest up for tomorrow. First and foremost, shoutout to the rest of the RingDispatch team: Peter Rahal on research and statistics, Karelma Gutierrez on editing and proofreading, Savannah Scandal on backstage buzz and celebrity watch, and Maeva Chastain on livestream coverage, as well as her great series of interviews with the Flynn Cup organizers this week. This site is nothing without them, so make sure to read their articles too.

Let’s get to the show.

 

We are LIVE at the Roy Wilkins Auditorium in St. Paul, Minnesota, and holy bananas I think they might be over capacity. NOBODY CALL THE FIRE MARSHAL. Seriously, this is the biggest turnout they’ve ever had, by a wide margin.

As with every year, the show starts with the customary video package. “No Shelter” by Rage Against the Machine provides a soundtrack to highlight’s from Milo Flynn’s career. Highlights include brawls with tag teams at every level in the NWC, from the Body Baggs and Shelter to the Hung Jury and Crash & Burn. Defeating Josh Hamlin to win the SCCW Television Title. The absolutely insane street fight in Athens against Malignance–Flynn throwing Judas through a shop window, raining fists down on Erik, and powerbombing Judas onto a trash can. There’s also Homeless Havok leaping off a moving car to spear Judas off the top of ANOTHER car, which didn’t involve Flynn but is still one of the coolest goddamn things ever. Finally, scenes of their hard-fought victory over the Dynasty; the video ends on a still frame of the Raging Hobo and Homeless Havok, holding the NWC World Tag Team Titles aloft.

 

As the music fades, the video transitions to a picture of Milo himself, which signals the start of the ten-bell salute. There are no dates listed, but there is the caption:

 

“THE RAGING HOBO” MILO FLYNN

At Home In Our Hearts

 

and no, YOU’RE crying

The lights come up to show the jam-packed arena; over five thousand people yelling their heads off. The fans in the front row are banging trash can lids against the guard rail. Those lids (an homage to the Gutterpunk Trash Cans, one of the hottest selling merch items of 2000-2001) are in a variety of colors that I will not describe, just in case anyone is eating.

We’re greeted by several members of the Cup’s executive board, who welcome us to the event, thank us for watching, and show off the Flynn Cup itself.

-Charles Beckett, aka Crash Domino (half of Crash & Burn; creator of the popular YouTube channel “Becketts Wreck It”)

-Beydaan Duale, community organizer and activist for homeless causes

-Geoff “The Main Man” McGregor (Minnesota native, former wrestler, current promoter of the Midwest Wrestling Kartel…version six, I think?)

-Scott Jamison, who was added to the executive board because he won a radio contest

They leave us with several important questions:

Who will win the Milo Flynn Cup?

Who will turn heads, steal attention, and make their name this year?

Who wants a ham sammitch? (Which of course gets a huge cheer, because that catchphrase is over as SHIT in Minnesota)

Now, let’s get to the action!

Your ring announcer is Nicollette Fowler. Commentators for the livestream are Colin Miller and “Electric” Eric Love.

 

SPICY BOIS vs. THE NEW EAST SIDE ANGELS

 

A fast-paced affair to start the show off. There was a lot of concern coming in about the Angels; the events of last spring left their stable in tatters, leader Tonia Mercado in a wheelchair, and Angels member Danielle Avery on the hunt for revenge. Nobody was sure how they would handle the loss of Avery’s strength and technical wrestling skill. Those worries turned out to be baseless, as the NESA embraced their new speed-based strategy; Miranda Xu’s strikes and Carmen Mercado-Cruz’s aerial prowess kept the Spicy Bois off-balance for most of the match. Like they do every year, Ancho Man and Cayenne Kid tried their best…they pulled off a beautiful set of stereo Asai moonsaults, and scored the upset with a flash pin by Ancho after Carmen missed a senton…but in the end, Cayenne Kid fell victim to the East Side Ascension, with Carmen Mercado-Cruz making the pin. (7:28)

WINNERS: New East Side Angels. RATING: **

The Spicy Bois are fun to watch, but always seem to do exactly this well in the tournament. Starting to wonder if they have incriminating pictures of one of the board members (probably Jamison.) They’ll need to find some extra spice if they want to reach the next level.

The new-look Angels were impressive, but uneven. Miranda was solid as always; Carmen was sloppy at times but pulled off some very impressive dives. If she keeps practicing, this team could break out in a big way.

 

THE COLTONS vs. PODCASTER BF AND E-GIRL GF

 

Probably the loudest crowd reaction of the night, other than the main event and the Ham Sammitch line, came when Peach Backshots walked through the curtain. She is…umm…yes.

Respectfully.

The Coltons started off strong, since Mullen mostly tried to argue his way out of beatings with no success. Two things stopped this one from being over when it started: first, Felix Mullen can take a LOT of damage and still get up. Second, Benjamin Colton obviously wasn’t taking the match seriously–he spent more time hitting on Peach Backshots than actually fighting. At one point, he put Mullen in a headlock and dragged him to his own corner, just so he could chat up Peach. Once Backshots tagged herself in, the mood changed in a hurry.

Anyone who thought she was just a pretty face was dazzled by her speed and lucha libre-style offense. Benjamin–who isn’t exactly a slowpoke himself–couldn’t keep up, and Dennis couldn’t lay a hand on her. She went through a series of dropping each Colton with a flying headscissor three times, alternating between the two, which got roars from the crowd. Then she tagged Mullen back in, and the Coltons were right back in it. This cycle continued for a while; Mullen unable to hold the momentum generated by Backshots; the Coltons unable to contain one opponent or put away the other.

The finish came when Mullen and Backshots went for their often-attempted-but-never-completed double-team signature, “Subscribe to My Patreon.” Mullen was barely able to get Benny elevated into the electric chair position, but right as Peach Backshots jumped off the turnbuckle for the somersault neckbreaker, Colton fell forward and trapped Mullen in a victory roll. (12:25)

WINNERS: The Coltons. RATING: ** ½

Benjamin and Dennis Colton have definitely put the work in since last year’s inglorious exit. Still, Benny’s flippant attitude nearly made it happen again, as he spent way too much time flirting Peach Backshots, and not enough time fighting her. Dennis was a solid anchor for the team, keeping them in it whenever Benny screwed up too hard. They’ve improved a lot in the last year, but they’ll need to work on their mental game. Especially Benjamin.

As for Podcaster/eGirl…obviously, Peach Backshots is a star in the making. Her offense has enough flash to keep fans excited and opponents confused, the crowd loves her look (respectfully) and attitude, and she’s certainly going to be great on television. I wouldn’t be at all surprised to see her sign on with a major company very soon.

Felix Mullen was also there.

 

Colin Miller and Eric Love call out some of the famous faces in the audience. We see Jon Rhine (PRIME superstar; one half of Fighting For Nora,) David McBride (Beckett’s old tag team partner in Crash & Burn,) Jake Colton (wrestling veteran and trainer,) and Paul Ryder (one of Minnesota State Wrestling’s most popular stars.)

 

DANGEROUS MIX vs. THE SEA DOGS

 

A mostly one-sided affair, with Mushigihara being stronger and David Fox being faster than either of the Sea Dogs; they stayed in control for most of the match. The Sea Dogs were able to rally late, and made a desperate attempt at the Black Spot on David Fox, but by the time Yardley made it to the top rope Mushigihara was there to throw him back down to the mat. Mushi and Fox then leveled Joe Raleigh with a combination lariat and leg sweep, allowing Fox to make the pin. (6:55)

WINNERS: Dangerous Mix. RATING: * ½

The Mix were pretty dominant in this one; apart from that rush at the end, they hardly broke a sweat. I expect to see them bring this kind of energy back to PRIME; if they do, theyll be tough to stop.

As for the Sea Dogs…I hate to say it, but I think it might be time for Pete Yardley to hang up his eyepatch. The team with Joe Raleigh has never quite jelled, and when he tried going to the top, I was more scared for him than for his opponents. I know he’s a beloved veteran, but he just doesn’t have it anymore.

 

LOS REBELDES DEL BIEN vs. NDNATION

 

I don’t know if we’ve seen a team as weird as Los Rebeldes in the Flynn Cup for years, and NDNation had never seen anything like them. That didn’t stop them from giving it everything they had, though. The match went back and forth constantly; Spotted Horse’s power and Jandreau’s aerial offense were enough to take advantage, but it would switch right back due to either a timely double-team, or interference from Mestizo.

In the end, Connor Jandreau had Pedro Gonzales in position for the Eagle Eye, but he was knocked off the ropes after Mestizo clambered up the turnbuckle and knocked one foot away, causing Jandreau to crotch himself on the top. As Pedro got back up to his feet, Persona Non Grata kicked Nicholas Spotted Horse off the apron, then Los Rebeldes leveled Jandreau with the Mala Onda for the win. (11:00)

WINNERS: Los Rebeldes del bien. RATING: *** ½

An impressive Flynn Cup debut for both teams; Los Rebeldes proved themselves a force to be reckoned with, especially with Mestizo in their corner. Someone else in the field might have the answer for the little guy, but I can’t think of what that answer would be.

Even in defeat, NDNation proved themselves and impressed the fans. They’re still very raw, though. With more seasoning, they could make a deeper run in the future.

 

Geoff McGregor returned to the arena (having run out screaming as soon as Mestizo emerged from the back) and reminded us that there was still half of Night One to go. The crowd immediately started buzzing; there were some heavy hitters who hadn’t had their match yet.

 

NEW WORLD TRASH vs. LONDON UNDERGROUND

 

NWT came to the ring first, immediately catching attention with their signature style of ring attire. Imagine their surprise when LU came out, carrying trash cans (official Gutterpunk trash cans) full of weapons. And imagine OUR surprise when Bex and Angel told the ref not to ban those weapons–they were down for a hardcore brawl.

The fight that ensued would have felt more at home in Bang! Pro Wrestling, or PHX Fights. Chairs, trash cans, kendo sticks, thumbtacks…these two teams nailed each other with anything that wasn’t nailed down. And while Savage and Quinley weren’t backing down at all, this kind of thing was LU’s specialty.

Baxter and Donovan held the advantage for most of the match, but they started to lose steam late, as Savage and Quinley always came at them full speed. The Trash kept bouncing back every time they got hit, and the tide started to turn. Huge moment at the end with Turk trying to rally, but every time he hit Bex Savage–whose face was covered in blood by this point–she just screamed right in his face. A wild swing took him off balance and set him up for the Bakebrainer and the pin. (9:36)

WINNER: New World Trash. RATING: ***

I generally don’t care for “smash random things over opponent’s head” hardcore matches, but you can’t help but be impressed with Savage and Quinley playing London Underground’s game, and beating them at it. These two kinda came out of nowhere, but they definitely turned a lot of heads tonight. And the visual of Bex Savage just screaming at Turk Donovan every time he punched her in the head…that lady is intense. The New World Trash are either going to burn out or blow up, with no in-between.

Ian Baxter and Turk Donovan might be taking some static when they go back over the pond to BRUTAL, but they had a strong showing and the crowd loved it. Even in the loss they cemented their reputation as two of the toughest in the business, and while their style isn’t my cup of tea, I can still see why they make fans everywhere they go.

 

MASTERS OF THE MULTIVERSE…B-TEAM vs. DARK OVERLORDS OF WRESTLING

 

A lot of people thought this would be another one-sided match…and for the beginning, it was. Just not in the way they expected.

The Masters of the Multiverse came roaring out of the gate, cutting Justin Sufferable off from his partner through quick tags, wear-down holds, and on occasion, cheating. Randall Schwartz was particularly obnoxious, constantly getting in cheap shots whenever Sufferable was close to the Masters’ corner. Legendary manager Jackson C. Horne tried to get involved, but went on one tirade too many and was sent to the back by the referee! The DOW weren’t really able to get into the match until Triple R–remembering that he was also quite good at not fighting fair–charged the ring, laid out both members of the B-Team, and tagged himself in.

While the Overlords took over from there, the Masters were never out of the match. They kept up their quick tags and surprise offense, leading to a flurry of near falls and close calls. Kenny’s Freeman Special and Justin’s figure four nearly drew submissions, and a desperation top rope dive was the only thing that kept Triple R’s Road Rage Rampage from taking out Schwartz. With the end in sight, Randall Schwartz went for the Most Devastating Move in Pro Wrestling, the Schwartz Special…but Justin Sufferable was able to grab Triple R’s hands and blocked the rollup, then transitioned into a pin of his own…and with Triple R still holding Justin’s arms for leverage, they were able to score the victory. (15:45)

WINNERS: Dark Overlords of Wrestling; Rating: *** 1/2

The DOW definitely showed the skills that won them the MVW Tag Team Championships earlier this year, but make no mistake: the B-Team brought their A game tonight. They were giving their opponents fits tonight; even Jackson Horne got so worked up that the ref sent him to the back. They’re very good at keeping opponents off-balance, and like the Dangerous Mix, this is the kind of performance they need to bring back to PRIME.

Once the DOW got rolling, they looked really good. MVW has sent several teams to the Flynn Cup in the past, and they always perform at a high level. This year was no different; they were able to outlast the B-Team and set themselves up well for the second round.

 

The fans’ excitement started to rise, knowing that there were still three top-flight tag teams yet to perform, but only two matches. Meanwhile, we see more familiar faces in the crowd: Chris Best (no relation) and Ruben Brown (founders of MSW,) Jared Sykes and Justine Calvin (aka King Blueberry and Reina Raspberry; PRIME Tag Team Champions,) “The Ace of Clubs” Lester Schmidt (half of the Heartless Express, a legendary tag team of the past and part of the famous Four Aces stable,) and several members of the Minnesota Wild.

 

NO QUARTER vs. MAXIMUM JUSTICE

 

MURKED. (4:19)

WINNERS: No Quarter. RATING: ½

Chaz Maximum and Drake Justice obviously aren’t ready for prime time, and taking on any of the seasoned teams was going to be like walking into a buzzsaw. Instead they got No Quarter, which was like walking into the Danger Room with all the safety protocols turned off. Thompson and Bracken looked every bit as dominating as they did when they won the Flynn Cup in 2019. They’re going to be fresh heading into tomorrow, too. Would not be at all surprised to see them go deep.

The crowd was at a fever pitch even before entrances were made, because the fans knew what was coming. Scott Jamison tried to make some announcements, but he got completely drowned out by the crowd. He shrugged his shoulders and gave up.

 

CROWNLESS KINGDOM vs. SOUND AND FURY

 

First and foremost, Ian Nackedy and Gildenstern came out dressed like a mariachi band, but also had huge inflatable shuriken for some reason? I understand that they didn’t want to go full ninja; especially with the city’s known infestation issues. One case of mistaken identity, and you get shipped up to a preserve in Saskatchewan.

Second, here’s a sign that the next match is going to be a banger: right before the bell rang, ALL of the other Flynn Cup entrants came out to watch. Some of them were still in their ring gear, or halfway through getting dressed. Bex Savage dragged a medic with her so he could keep putting stitches in the back of her head. Every eye in the building was pointed at the ring.

And friends, they did not disappoint.

The early stages of the match had both teams trying to force a mismatch in order to gain an advantage. S&F took over after laying out Marchesi on the outside, but momentum switched when Franco started European Uppercutting the bejesus out of everyone. There was a GREAT spot that involved Franco catching and slamming Nackedy, while he already had Gildenstern in a fireman’s carry…then DVD’d Gilly onto his partner. That man is CRAZY strong. We got the Flak Cannon, almost got Excalibur AND Rhongomyniad, and then…the greatest move in the history of wrestling.

BASKETWEAVER.

When Franco put a stop to it, I’m surprised Gildenstern didn’t take Avalon’s ear with him.

Nackedy and Avalon went it at it for a while and got REALLY intense. Ian ducked the Rhongomyniad and came back with a yakuza kick of his own, and ALMOST won with a brainbuster. With Marchesi and Gildenstern taking each other out on the outside, Nackedy went for the kill and climbed top. He did a BEAUTIFUL shooting star press…but there’s no water in the pool! As soon as Nackedy got up…Camelot’s Turntable!

That was one of the King’s Armaments, so we knew Coral was going for another one…and instead, he pulled out something we’d never seen before. He pulled Ian up to a seated position, ran off the ropes, and OBLITERATED him with his partner’s move, the Flak Cannon, to the back of the head.

One. Two. Three. (37:50)

WINNERS: Crownless Kingdom. RATING: *****

Wow. Just…wow.

This might have been even better than their 2015 Finals match. Everything you could want out of a Kingdom/S&F rematch, they gave you…and then some. That slam/Death Valley Driver. the Basketweaver. a TON of close calls. A SIXTH Armament! This could very well be one of the best matches of the year, and because of the random draw for the Flynn Cup brackets, we got it in the FIRST ROUND. This match fucking RULED.

The fans–and the other wrestlers–were clapping and howling with joy as the two teams shook hands. Geoff McGregor (who thankfully is very loud) thanked the fans for coming, and reminded them to come back tomorrow night for Night Two.

 

And that’s it. Night One is in the books, and it looks like this tournament might be one of the better ones. There were a few rough patches and one-sided matches, but it was mostly very competitive and lots of fun to watch. And that last match. Just incredible. Check this out as soon as you can.

Thanks for reading, and just like the Flynn Cup itself, we’ll be back tomorrow with our Night Two coverage. Be sure to check out Kari G’s article from yesterday, about forgotten wrestling figures from South America, and listen to the Big Damn Slam Podcast; we’ll be talking about the career of Karina Wolfenden. See you tomorrow!