Wow this is very fucking belated, but I've been swamped here in DOI-land. Since we already had four reviews of the show on the site already, I procrastinated in getting this done. However, I did promise Mr. Johnny 5 I'd get this done sometime, so here is my quick review/report of the show.

Note, since we already have four reviews of the show on the site already, these are just my quick thoughts/breakdown of the event. To read full length reviews check out the following:
Crazy Larry Reviews VPW
Mike Night Reviews VPW

Papadon vs Richie Tyler
Not a bad match here, although I don't know why VPW elected to have a steel chair be brought into play in the first match. Papadon won this match with heel tactics and it got over well with the crowd.

From there, the ring announcer, Jerry Fitzwater cut what felt like a 5959 minute promo. Half the crowd gave him heat, the other half couldn't care less. My biggest problem with this waste of a segment was what's the point? Jerry is a ring announcer. What's the payoff? It just seemed like a waste of time and a better segment for the DVD release. I think VPW would've been better off giving this time to a wrestler to get over, rather than the ring announcer.

Dead Presidents vs Bison/Mack
This was a solid tag team match, and both teams connected well with the crowd. Boogalou popped out a chair in this match, getting his team DQed. That's why I didn't get why a chair was used in the first match, as it seemed pretty repetitive. The in-ring action was good while it lasted.

Deblasi cut a horrible promo before our next match. I don't know what the hell he was saying as a bunch of people were heckling him and it looked like Deblasi froze like a deer in the headlights. Poor Deblasi, he tries so hard, but it's so easy to heckle him.

Javier vs Sabotage vs Deranged
I thought these three had the best match in VPW's short history. What a huge way to showcase three talents on this event. All three guys stock raised after this match. Booking Deranged was a smart part on VPW's end, as they got the best match on the show out of him, while elevating his opponents while doing it. The crowd loved this match and while it was spotty, it got over. The crowd at this show was mixed of several smart marks, with the majority of fans being local. I overhead local fans say "this is the best match I've ever seen live."

While this wasn't the best match I've ever seen live, it was the best match on this show and was a match that fans in the building will return to see again. I don't even remember who won the match (I had to look at Crazy Larry's review to tell you that Javier won) and that's a compliment and something wrestlers should realize when it comes to winning/losing/jobbing/whatever. Fans don't remember who wins or loses, they remember if they saw something good, and we got something good here.

April Hunter/JD Michaels vs Danny Demanto/Alicia
I'm not a huge fan of intergender matches as whenever the guy gets in the ring with a girl, the guy doesn't hit as hard as he was when he was wrestling the guy in the ring before the girl got in. I didn't get how two people who look like body builders, are taller than their opponents, are in much better shape and look more like wrestlers than their opposition lose a match to Danny & Alicia, but such is the allure of pro wrestling. I thought this was great for the live fans, but as a dickhead internet guy, I didn't really care for it. Danny was able to knock out April with one of his "B" moves and the match was over that quick. The booking of the match seemed rushed, as now it looks like the entire issue between these two teams is dead after one show. I don't know how anyone in the building could think this match was real either, but most of these fans were excellent wrestling fans, enjoying anything that was in the ring, which is great for VPW and for the wrestlers who work there.

Mack Daddy Flexx vs Eric Adams
Flexx looked impressive here. Adams looked like a jobber. I found out later on that he is a veteran in the indy business, which was a shock as he didn't look like a wrestler at all to me. The right guy won this match and Flex could be an asset to VPW on future shows.

Eug Perversion vs Chopsaw vs JMS
None of these guys looked like wrestlers to me, so I lost interest quickly. To be honest I watched half of this match, as I went to the bar to grab some dollar beers. I've become jaded watching so much wrestling that when guys in the ring don't look the part, I could really care less. Chopsaw pins Eug for the win.

Eclipse vs LI Kid & DC Diamond
Pretty much what I said above applies to this match. I should stress that these guys do try hard. It's hard putting student matches so late on the show, but I understand why it's done- if you put students/ticket sellers on early, those fans who paid to see the student/ticket seller/person they know, will leave early too and the building will be wiped out.

Grim Reefer w/Anthony Deblasi vs Jay Static
Deblaasi was involved in this match too, and for the life of me, I can't stand watching him. Nothing personal or anything, but everything he does looks so fucking fake. Reefer continues to be VPW's MVP in its short history, turning out another great performance. I thought this was the best Static match I've seen and he proved he could work with a light heavyweight. These guys had a good match with a tight finish and it sent the fans home happy. Can't ask for more from your main event and these guys delivered.

Final McWord
Despite the brevity of this report, I thought this was the best VPW show I've seen to date. The show flowed nicely. While somethings were suspect (using chairs back-to-back matches, Jerry Fitzwater's long monolouge) the good outweighed the bad. The wrestlers worked hard. The show flowed nicely. Most of all, the crowd was into everything from the first bell to the last bell, and when you have your crowd hot all night, you know you did your job as a promotion. Good effort here from everyone involved.

I like VPW's mix of indy guys, unknown guys and students. Reefer, Deranged, Dead Presidents, Bison, Mack, etc are all great guys to have on a show and always give their all. Guys like Tyler & Sabotage are guys you don't see very much, and are really finding their niche in VPW. The students really need to get gear and take wrestling seriously if they expect fans that aren't related to them to take them seriously. VPW is only three shows in, so I'm sure things will eventually gel the way VPW needs it.

VPW returns again on 12/8. Stay tuned to Johnny 5's updates for all the VPW news, VPW DVD's and all that other fine VPW jive that you crave.

Sean "The MiC" McCaffrey
BULLSMC@aol.com