Hey, I don’t know about you, but I feel like previewing LPW 22. With the massive success that was the Oil Rumble at Roger’s Place behind us, it’s time to Shake it Off and look forward to LPW 22. A new year at the Rec Room filled with new champions, new debuts and new attitudes. Let’s not waste any more time and get right into this sick beat of a card.
Eli Surge vs Reid Matthews
It’s very cool to see Eli Surge back in an LPW ring. Surge is without a doubt a fan favorite. He looks to get back on track and remind people that just because he believes birds aren’t real doesn’t mean you should think his in-ring skills aren’t real. If I’m Reid Matthews I wouldn’t take Surge lightly, especially if Bigfoot makes a return as well.
I constantly sing the praises of Reid Matthews and will continue to do so. The Thickness is coming off an impressive showing at the Oil Rumble and will continue to look to build off that here at LPW 22. It’s only a matter of time before we are crowning Matthews as a champion in LPW and a big victory here could make it harder and harder to keep him out of a future title shot.
LPW Tag Team Championship
Ride or Die (c) vs Jared Rogers & Gabriel Fuerza
The blank space next to Rogers’ partner in the match has been filled. And his name is Fuerza. Just announced this past Wednesday, Fuerza is a fantastic choice for the open spot. He’s been tearing up the Canadian wrestling scene with recent big matches against Gringo Loco and Ortiz under his belt. He now looks to make a big splash in his LPW debut.
Not that Taryn From Accounting or Steven Crowd need any more motivation, but one has to imagine there’s a bit of Bad Blood towards LPW Management for announcing their opponents on such short notice.
Can the brand new duo shock the LPW world and beat the well-oiled machine that is Ride or Die? That’s a tall task even for the most experienced tag teams. While this match should be a hard-fought battle, the Clandestine Society just changed the landscape to their Version and I can’t see it changing back anytime soon.
LPW Scramble Championship
Jack Pride (c) vs Jody Threat vs Michael Allen Ricard Clark vs TY Jackson vs Marz The Specialist vs Sheik Shabaz
Jack Pride knows the Scramble match all too well. He holds wins over more oppents than country singer Tim McGraw has hits. Can he do it again? This is easily the stiffest competition the Man of Two Minds has faced in the Scramble match format. So let’s get into just what Pride is up against:
TNA star Jody Threat aka the Wild Child is back in LPW. Threat last appeared at LPW 10, so you know they are hungry for win and to become the second ever Scramble Champion.
Michael Allen Ricard Clark is coming off a loss at the Oil Rumble to Grand Champion Michael Richard Blais. You know the push-up king would love to get back in the win column in a big way.
TY Jackson, LPWs People’s Champion, has had himself a rough stretch after how 2023 ended and 2024 beginning with a loss at the Oil Rumble. You know TY and Pride have a long history of Bad Blood. Can The People get one over on Pride and Se7en to become the Scramble champion? It’s the only belt left that a member of the RADz hasn’t held.
Has Pride told Marz “You Belong With Me” enough that The Specialist knows his place and will help Pride retain his coveted Championship? Or will Marz finally starting thinking about “Me!”?
Karma is a funny thing. Sheik Shabaz spent all of his Tag Title reign with Berat Goroni doing anything and everything to skirt the line to keep that gold. Well, they ran into a Ride or Die team that just beat them at their own game twice. Shabaz will need to shake it off to get back to the winning ways of Para Lira.
Until I see Pride lose with my own two eyes, I can’t pick against Pride in a Scramble match as he knows this format All Too Well.
Contender Gauntlet Match
El Aesino vs Dean Rictor vs Larry Woods vs Rich King vs Berat Gorani.
The key to this match is all about placement. We saw at LPW 21 Michael Ricard Allen Clark got the final spot and won after Steven Crowe did most of the heavy lifting.
A lot of intrigue and interesting combinations are possible here. Will we see Larry Woods and Rich King have to square off? What if Rich King is the Final Roadblock to Woods getting back to MRB? Does Rich King believe it’s his time to take a shot at the top spot? A lot more questions than answers for the RADz.
Dean Rictor and El Asesino have been working together as of late in LPW. Can they coexist, or is there an understanding of every man for himself here?
Berat Gorani finds himself the odd man out, as he has no alliances here. I actually think that plays in his favor as he can just do what he does best – put a sick beatdown on whoever gets in his way. Of course, he’ll do it while shouting “look what you made me do” because it’s always their fault.
So here you go Berat – I’m taking you to get the job done. The pressure is on because you know the story of us and I haven’t picked you yet. Don’t let me regret it.
LPW Challenge Championship
Zoe Sager(c) vs VertVixen
Call it What You Want but let’s just call this an early contender for Match of The Year. That was before Zoe Sager took down Travis Williams at the Oil Rumble to become the Challenge championship. Gold in LPW has a way to bring out the absolute best in people. If you don’t believe me, just look at Zoe’s entire 2023. She’s got gold back in her grasp and as we have seen nothing is off limits for her when it comes to efforts to keep it.
VertVixen enters as the Defy Women’s Champion and that has to put extra pressure on her. No one wants to come into another promotion as champion elsewhere and not get the job done. Without a doubt Zoe will have her work cut out for her. VertVixen isn’t afraid of the spotlight and will look to shine in her debut at LPW.
I think this is Sager’s match to lose. She always has Reid in her back pocket and has shown the ability to hang with anyone and everyone. We are currently watching Zoe’s Version and this era looks to be a long one in 2024.
LPW Grand Championship
Michael Richard Blais (c) vs Vaughn Vertigo
Did we need salvation? Well that all depends on who you ask. MRB would say yes, we all needed to be saved and see his version of LPW. MRB had grown tired of the LPW he saw for 2023 and decided it was time for salvation. In some circles, they will tell, this has always been MRB and the other guy we have seen was just playing the game in an attempt to be the nice guy. Those days are behind us, and MRB has hit the ground running as Grand Champion. Friday night will be his 3rd title defense of the week. Has this fighting champion bitten off more than he can chew, or does the Clandestine Society working together offset potential fatigue?
Vaughan Vertigo has got to be hoping for some fatigue to set in for MRB. Sure, in a perfect scenario, Vertigo would love the chance to beat MRB while he’s at his absolute best. That said, just overcoming the potential odds of the Society mixed with an MRB who has found a place in this world and will beat you by Death of a Thousand Cuts if he has to. Vaughn would be happy to get his first win at LPW since he bested Jack Pride at LPW 4.
I think it’s just too much right now for Vaughn to deal. Unless he’s got some friends to offset the potential distractions, Vaughn will be in for a long night at the Rec Room!
Well, there it is folks. Pluggo’s Version is in the books for another LPW Preview. It looks like 2024 is shaping up to be a massive year for Love Pro Wrestling, and this card is a great one to set the table for just that. Make sure you tune in at 9 p.m. Eastern time live on IWTV to catch all the action. See you all next month for LPW 23!
