Here we are, baby! It’s officially LPW week and it’s a big one – dare I say the biggest one in LPW history? LPW 19:Speedball Strikes First is here. Now, I know what you are saying. You’re saying, “Pluggo, you quite often say this month is the biggest show in history.” Well, we just continue to get better and better, so no matter how many times you’ve heard it before, it’s true again here!
This month LPW has some big debuts. Every title is on the line. Dream matches and just all-around intrigue surround this show. Can MRB beat Speedball? Does Zoe make it out as Grand Champion? Will TY Jackson come one step closer to finishing his story? What will shake out of the tag division? And so much more!
So let me not waste any more time asking you all these questions, because I answered them – or, at least, I gave you my thoughts on them. So strap in, friends, because there is a lot to unpack ahead of LPW 19: Speedball Strikes First.
Son of Irish vs. Travis Williams
LPW Challenge Championship
Son Of Irish has without a doubt been cooking with gas since winning the LPW Challenge Championship. Irish picked up a big win over Gigi Rey last month to retain his championship, after Rey came up short at LPW 17 against Zoë Sager.
In comes Travis Williams in a similar fashion. After he came within a hair of beating Zoe Sager at LPW 18, he finds himself in the Challenge Championship match, and rightfully so, as the professional is one of the best wrestlers on the planet. One has to wonder if his partner in crime, Judas Icarus, being on this card (which we will talk about later) will add to Williams’ motivations.
At this point, we have gone from, “Oh shoot, the deck’s really stacked against SOI this month, he might drop the belt,” to “He’s without a doubt a top star in LPW and until I see it happen I can’t go against SOI.” Dare I say he’s a strong contender for LPW Wrestler of the Year? All I know, friends, is that if history is any indicator, this match will not only be kicking off this show but setting the effing bar for everyone who follows them.
Jack Pride vs. Shaun Moore vs. Eli Surge vs. Wolfboy Will Mantla vs. Dean Richtor
Scramble Championship
The Man of Two Minds has another huge test coming their way at LPW 19. That said, confidence has to be running incredibly high for the leader of Se7en. Last month they not only beat the Clandestine Society and the RADz, who are bitter rivals, but Pride took out their own stablemates in TJ Cannon and Marz the Specialist.
So how do you stop someone who has no problem, and in a lot of ways prefers, doing whatever they have to to win and will never apologize for that?
Well, you throw none other than Shaun Moore into the mix. Moore has been on a war path in LPW as of late, beating the one and only, everyone’s favorite conspiracy theorist Eli Surge, and a couple of fantastic LPW debutantes in Wolfboy and Dean Richtor.
Admittedly, that might work out to their advantage because it’s one thing to study tape on the Man of Two Minds; it’s something entirely different when you’re standing across the ring from Jack Pride, or so I’ve been told. Jack Pride is on another level right now and I think their title reign, for as long as it’s been, is just getting started. Just know that even if Pride comes out on top, his Scramble matches have simply become must-see TV every last Friday of the month.
The RADz vs. TJ Cannon & Marz The Specialist
These bitter rivals, as mentioned above, can’t seem to stay out of each other’s way and it’s come to the point that if one group can’t have the LPW Tag Team Championships then the other damn sure won’t as well. So now the bad blood has come to a head and it’s time to settle this. You’d have to imagine the winner here separates themselves in what is easily one of the best Tag Team divisions in independent wrestling. While it’s not been made official, I’d think the winner here gets the shot at the winner of Para Lira and Ride or Die.
Can these teams stay focused and not allow outside issues or turmoil inside their faction stop them from the ultimate goal of tag team domination? This match will be a war of attrition, and the one who’s mentally prepared for the mind games and what feels like a knock-down, drag-out fight will come away the winner.
The RADz themselves admit things haven’t been smooth since the mandatory face turn and we know the issues Se7en has had in the past. So it comes down to who’s going to overcome, and I just have to go with my gut here and say the RADz squeeze out a big win here. The only question left to answer is if Ben Oomen and Thaddeus Archer can keep their hands off each long enough to celebrate with their respective teams if they win.
Jared Rodgers vs. El Asesino
One of the fastest-rising stars in LPW, Jared looks to continue his climb up the ranks. What better way to test yourself so early in your career than against the veteran, El Asesino, who has probably forgotten more about professional wrestling than Jared knows? That just means Jared will have to prepare himself for anything and everything Asesino will throw his way.
Look for Rodgers to continue to turn some heads and get another big win under his belt.
Para Lira vs. Ride Or Die
LPW Tag Team Championship
Para Lira has been the big winner of Faction Warfare here in LPW, as the Clandestine Society has also gotten themselves all tied up with Se7en and the RADz. Let’s not sell Sheik & Berat short, though. Sure, they got the tag team championships due to the RADz’ beef with Se7en, but now, with well over 100 days as champion, they have proven to be an absolute force in a stacked tag-team division. Not to mention they have a willingness to grab any opportunity for advantage they can.
In steps TFA and Steven Crowe, as the Clandestine won a three-way dance to get this shot. Sure it was MRB and Crowe earning the shot, but CS will be free-birding this opportunity, as MRB has some business to attend to later that night. In no way, though, is TFA a downgrade, as she and Crowe are best friends and legitimately ride-or-dies! RoD has been in some of the biggest matches LPW had held, and TFA was your longest reigning Challenge Champion at one point, so I fully expect them to be up to the challenge of what Para Lira brings inside (and sometimes outside) of the ring. Let’s just hope whoever referees this contest has their head on a swivel.
As much as I enjoy Para Lira, you already know I’m Riding with my girl TFA aka the 3rd Beard of Between Two Beards (every Thursday night; sorry not sorry for the shameless plug). So get ready for Spencer Love to be saying AND NEW TAG TEAM CHAMPIONS STEVEN CROWE, TARYN FROM ACCOUNTING RIDE OR DIE!!!!
Reid Matthews vs. TY Jackson
If Jackson Wins the RADz get a Grand Championship Shot.
TY Jackson is also known in some circles as the rightful Grand Champion, as he came up short via a referee’s reversal at LPW 16 against Zoe Sager. TY and Ben Oomen have been campaigning for each other’s shot at the title, even going as far as to constantly interrupt Spencer pleading their case, which up till now hasn’t been successful. Even this matchup isn’t truly what the RADz want, but TY knows it’s better than nothing, and he has to just show up and show out if he hopes to get back at Zoe Sager for claiming what he believes is his LPW Grand Championship.
Standing in his way is Zoe’s muscle and insurance policy, the hard-hitting badass known to all as The Thickness, Reid Matthews. For Reid, he knows where his bread is buttered and he simply has one job: Keep TY and the RADz away from the Grand Champion. As much as Zoe hasn’t backed down from anyone, she doesn’t want to see a highly Motivated TY Jackson and an entire Rec Room gunning for her championship.
You have to imagine Zoe has more than a vested interest in this matchup as there is a lot at stake, let’s just hope she can keep her focus.
So it’s simple for Matthews, or is it? What’s to say Reid wins and starts to think “Wait a minute, I won, where’s my title shot?” I’m just saying, once Reid realizes just how valuable he truly is to Zoe’s retention, we may see some cracks start to form in this partnership.
I have a feeling this night will belong to TY Jackson and the RADz as TY comes one step closer to finishing the story.
Zoe Sager vs Judas Icarus
LPW Grand Championship
Where will Zoe’s head be heading into the match? Did TY win and now she’s looking past Judas? Did Reid win and now she’s questioning his loyalties? Maybe Reid was so beat up after what I expect to be a war that he can’t be at ringside? Or, it’s entirely possible the status quo happens and Reid is right where he needs to be? No matter what, Zoe Sager needs to be ready for Judas, as he’s not only debuting here in LPW, but he’s hungry to make a splash his first night here. As he and I talked about for the LPW over on our Patreon, you have to wonder if watching his brother in Sovereign, Travis Williams, come up short last month will be a factor in his game plan. You know he picked his brain.
Zoë has proven time and time again that she comes out on top no matter what the cost, and she shouldn’t be slept on as Grand Champion. Judas has a style, and his uniqueness can present a real problem for Sager even with a fully healthy Matthews at ringside. As I talked with Judas about, he doesn’t care if it’s 2 on 1 or 100 on 1, he plans to leave LPW 19 as the new Grand Champion.
If only it was that easy. Come hell or high water, I think the numbers game will be just too much for Icarus to overcome and Sager’s historic reign will continue to LPW 20.
Speedball Mike Bailey vs. Michael Richard Blais
Yes, you read that correctly: SPEEDBALL VS GOD’S GIFT TO PROFESSIONAL WRESTLING. I couldn’t be more excited to see two of not only Canada’s best but two of the best wrestlers in the world go one-on-one!
Speedball comes into this matchup firing on all cylinders as one of the top wrestlers across the indies and one of the stars of Impact Wrestling. He’s been very complimentary of his opponent MRB, who in his words is “a champion carrying the weight of the scene on his back” as he said to our own Zak Ralph over on YouTube.
For MRB, this match has to mean so much to him. While he’s not the household name Speedball is, MRB has been on an impressive run himself, making stops at GCW, DEFY, and just a little 8-hour Gauntlet Match to celebrate 20 years in the business. And while Speedball mentioned having a whole scene on MRB’s back, you know MRB feels that added pressure without it being spoken into existence. You can’t talk about Western Canadian professional wrestling without mentioning MRB. He is, in a lot of ways, the face of LPW as he has been the standard here since day 1. So the pressure is on MRB to come out on top, for not only him but Western Canada and LPW. A win over Speedball turns quite a few heads, especially for those who may not know MRB and just how special he is.
So while Speedball may be the favorite in this absolute dream matchup in LPW, he’d better indeed strike first and strike often because, for MRB, this is a scene-defining and career-changing opportunity. If Speedball slips up ever so slightly MRB will be ready to have his hand raised in victory!
Asking me to pick this matchup is like asking Mrs. Pluggo to pick between her favorite Christmas trees. Well, I’m a professional, so I’ll do my best here. I’m going with MRB putting the team on his back, so to speak, and stunning Speedball Mike Bailey!
And if that wasn’t enough to get you excited for LPW 19. All this sure-to-be fantastic wrestling will be called by none other than Big Bad Boris and Veda Scott. I know right? Talk about a dream commentary team!!!
Either way, friends, we the fans win because that main event has nothing but bangers written all over it. Not to mention, this entire card from top to bottom is loaded with great talent, passion, and a desire to steal the show at Speedball Strikes First. If this written preview wasn’t enough to get you ready for Friday night, you can head over to Love Wrestling on YouTube and check out the LPW 19 Preview show I did with Big Bad Boris and Blair Pacheco! As always, friends, you can catch me every Thursday night at 8 p.m. on Between Two Beards with JPJ and Saturday Mornings with Blair Pacheco on For Exposure.
See you all next month for LPW 20!
