It’s everyone’s favorite Friday of the month! It’s LPW Day, and we are back with another sure fire banger of a Show. LPW 26 The Clothesline has it all Massive championship matches, big time debuts, Royce Isaac’s and Effy to be exact! So let’s lock in and breakdown all the matches and more for this month’s LPW Preview!

Jack Pride & Marz The Specialist vs Jared Rodgers & Michael Allan Richard Clark

Se7en say they are fine but I don’t believe them. Where there is smoke there is fire, right? We left LPW 25 with Pride and Marz Face to Face ready to throw down after Pride interjected himself into Jack and Marzs match ultimately costing them a victory in very big tag match.

It’s hard to be as successful as a group without some hiccups along the way.

Se7en has always seemed to have some internal issues since the beginning and always figure out a way to make it work. 

Their Challengers on the other hand haven’t teamed together yet. They are very hungry to make a name for themselves in a stacked Tag Team Division.

Jared Rodgers and Michael Allan Richard Clark have had various levels of success as singles competitors in LPW but now want to give it a go as Tags.

Will their lack of experience and chemistry be their biggest hurdle or can they catch Se7en slipping as they try and manage a lot of pressure and emotions heading into LPW 26? 

While I’m intrigued by the potential of MARC and Rodgers. I have to give the edge to Se7en. Until Marz and Jack Pride prove they can’t handle their baggage and everything thing implodes I got to role with the experienced team.

Reid Matthews vs Rich King

Here’s a battle of two guys who are looking to make a name for themselves as singles competitors. For Rich King you have to wonder if self doubt is starting to creep in as he has had opportunities to cash in on some singles gold to only come up just shy as the rest of his group the RADz are currently holding gold. TY Jackson as Scramble Champion and Larry Woods as Grand Champion. I know it’s crazy to think any doubt is going on with Rich as he’s one of the most confident people on the roster but I can’t imagine it’s easy to stay positive through so much adversity while everyone else around you is flourishing.

For Matthews, he’s doesn’t have a group carrying gold just one, Challenge Champion Zoe Sager he has been nothing but instrumental in her ability to win and hold on to multiple championships over the past year or so. Zoe occupied both the Grand and Challenge Championships at different times over the last year. It’s been hard for Matthews to get an opportunity at gold with his last chance coming at LPW 15 in the Scramble Match. So you know he’s hungry and with only one blemish on his 2024 resume, Alan Angels you know he has a case for a shot at gold.

On this loaded card I have my eye on this match as a potential match of the night. Both guys are going to want to show out and hopefully garner a title shot. I got Reid Matthews inching out a big win here and continuing the year of the thickness.

Wolfe Boy Will Malanta & The Canadian Goose Kyle Shaw vs El Asesino & Dean Rictor

As I mentioned on the For Exposure LPW 26 Preview Show PETA better keep a close eye on this one as Rictor and Asesino are as nasty as they come in wrestling.

Goose and Wolfboy will be trying to get that much needed win in the tag division, which hasn’t exactly gone the way they have planned on Friday nights.

They are fan favorites will that be enough to score a big victory? Or maybe something will go wrong for Rictor and Asesino ending in a self implosion to have their hand raise and Honk to be heard throughout the Rec Room in Celebration.

Ride or Die vs Bussy

LPW Tag Team Championship

Allie Katch showed up and showed out against Steven Crowe last month. That was only the beginning as after the match she called her shot at the tag champs. All she had to do was find herself a tag partner and who better to bring to Edmonton than her very own ride or die Effy.

If I’ve said it once I’ve said it at least 37 times. Be careful what you ask for. Ride or Die asked for better competition and that’s exactly what happened and then some. Bussy is easily on the short list of best tag teams in independent wrestling.

Usually it’s no doubt to me that Ride or Die will have no problem competing at this level. This time around though it’s more of are they getting too comfortable with each conquest? Does their confidence turn to cockiness? Its would be hard if it was me to stay humble after all the years of dominating at tag division and Friday Night wouldn’t just be another day at the office for TFA and Crowe.

I would caution them that this isn’t the month to be caught slipping. You know Allie and Effy would love to add a new accolade to their long list of accomplishments with some LPW Gold. Hell, I’d love to see Bussy return to LPW myself but that all said you already know how this goes: it’s Ride or Die Always!

Larry Woods vs Royce Isaacs

LPW Grand Championship

Talk about keeping your foot on the gas as Larry Woods 1st defense of his second reign as Grand Champion is a big one. Royce Isaacs is stepping up to the Lumberjack in his debut t LPW. The New Japan star has worked all over the world becoming known as one of the most Dangerous wrestlers in the game. You would think coming into a new environment can be seen as a disadvantage to most for Royce this is what he does, the veteran is so well traveled he’s used to to showing up and showing out in new places.

So hopefully Larry has put last month’s emotional battle with MRB behind him and is laser focused on the task at hand or it could be another one and done scenario for Woods. I’m rolling with Larry because we saw a different side of him last month and we all saw how far he was willing to go to bring home the Grand Championship . I have to imagine that Larry Woods will do anything in his Power to keep it.

Zoe Sager vs Michael Richard Blais

LPW Challenge Championship

If I was to compile a list of the top wrestlers in LPW History it would be incredibly difficult to keep Zoe Sager off the top of that list. She can do it all and her in ring knowledge and skills are unmatched and she’s beaten a who’s who of competitors over the course of her two title reigns in LPW.

All of that started with a solid foundation and being taught the art of wrestling. Well if the saying is true that a student is only as good as their teacher then Michael Richard Blais would also be at the top of the greatest to lace ‘em up in LPW history. Which he rightfully is. For MRB here’s not only going for a chance to reclaim gold but to get one up on Zoe who bested him for the LPW Grand Championship the last time they faced off. MRB has to be going through some emotions after the high stakes battle with Larry Woods at LPW 25. He will need to put that in the past and focus on the task at hand. Zoe isn’t someone to take lightly and ultimately she will not ease up because you’ve had a rough month or so. I fully expect Zoe Sager to retain and keep gold right where it belongs around her waist.

TY Jackson vs Berat Gorani vs Shiek Shabaz vs Eli Surge vs Maxwell Benson

LPW Scramble Championship

Only two people know what it takes to get to over 100 days as Scramble Champion and that’s Jack Pride and TY Jackson. They would be the first to tell if the pressure builds as the defenses rack up or if they have figured it out at this point and it becomes easier. I’d have to say both cases are true, right? On the one hand you never know what to expect and the preparation for 4-5 other opponents can’t be an easy feat but being in the thick of it, you’d imagine you’d pick up a few tricks along the way.

Either way you look at TY Jackson he has done nothing but impress since becoming champion and looks to continue his winning ways against: Para Lira aka Berat Gorani and Sheik Shabaz, Eli Surge and the debuting Maxwell Benson. I don’t know a ton about Benson but Judas Icarus says we better be ready and I have no reason to not believe him. Of course Para Lira finds themselves back in the Scramble Match hoping a two for one approach is their ticket back to LPW Gold, as of late as they look to bring back some gold, since dropping the tag titles to Ride or Die. (Yes Berat I’m going to mention every chance I get)

I’m very intrigued by Eli Surge, King of Conspiracy Theories,has vowed he won’t stop participating in the Scramble Match until he has Scramble Championship is in his hands. Will the added layer of pressure put on himself product the outcome he wants or will challenger at LPW 27 be his spot?

The scramble match, will without a doubt be another classic and I think TY Jackson gets it done and leaves still champion!

There it is friends! LPW 26 The Clothesline covered! Boom! I’m stoked to catch this show, it all goes down live on IWTV at 7pm Mountain Time. As always keep it here for my latest writings about all things Love Pro Wrestling related and see you all at LPW 27!