NWA Fusion Episode 3

Episode 3 is here, and this might last an entire month

http://www.vimeo.com/5758520

Preston Quinn/Grail v. Assault and Battery

I am always excited to see Preston Quinn, who has very quietly been one of the best wrestlers in America for the last half dozen years. This wasn't really a match to pimp Quinn though, as he wasn't in it very much. He does hit a really nice looking brainbuster, but most of this match is Grail being worked over by Assault and Battery. This was the first time I had seen them, and they didn't show me much, Diamond Victor Griff worked really loose, which was really obvious compared to Grail and Quinn. Shmozz ending too, which is continuing the overbooking which has plagued this show so far. If every match has a BS ending, it means that all of them get less heat.

Jimmy Cicero v. Zach Hilton

Jimmy Cicero was a guy who I saw dozens of times in random northeast indies in the 1990's. I saw him get dumped on his head by Scott Putski, get chopped by Tom Brandi and dropkicked by Queenan Creed. He was often the highlight of those shows, as you would sometimes get entire shows where he was the only guy above average. I haven't seen him in about a decade, he has put on about 50 pounds, but he still looks good. This was basically a squash match, and Cicero breaks out a nice kneelift and a good looking superplex. One thing that I really started to notice in this match, is the ridiculous WWE jump cutting in the editing, often jump cutting during moves so you can't see the impact. I had a hard time telling how Cicero's offense looked because the camera angle was switching so much. Point the camera at the match, stop showing off how good you are at Adobe Premier.

American Ranger v. Vulstagg

This is your basic patriotic babyface vs. evil foreign heel match, which is a match I always like. Vulstagg is pretty good, but the American Ranger is more Corporal Kirshner then Sgt. Slaughter. Match ends with a Sheik Ali Akbar and Hatriot run in, and I continue to dig the Hatriot. Talent wise he appears to be to American Ranger as Doug Gilbert was to Del Wilkes, but those two guys had some fun matches in the same feud, and they sold me on these guys against each other too. Would like to see the Hatriot do more then generic turncoat to Iraq shtick, I think a disillusioned ex-Patriot who has soured on the American Dream could get over huge in VA. Just have him repeat old Jerry Rubin speeches.