Background: In the final first round match of the 2012 Battle of Los Angeles tournament, former Pro Wrestling Guerilla Heavyweight champion Davey Richards battled Michael Elgin.
Battle of Los Angeles: Night 1
Reseda, CA
September 1, 2012
Davey Richards vs. Michael Elgin
Elgin easily hip tossed “The American Wolf” to stop Richards’ waist lock. The same thing happened following a wristlock when Elgin popped Davey in the mouth. Elgin easily powered and cartwheeled his way out of a wristlock to shoulder block Davey to the floor. Using Elgin’s anger against him, Richards lured Elgin into a shoulder block exchange that ended with Richards looking for a dropkick. Instead, “Unbreakable” power slammed him. Richards was unable to stop the minute long delay vertical suplex. The former PWG World champion kicked Elgin to the floor for that running kick off the apron to set up a tope that ended with Richards taking a seat in the front row.
Richards rolled Elgin into the ring, tying him up in that hammerlock Texas cloverleaf. Elgin got free, but was dropped seconds later. The handspring enzuguri didn’t pay off for “The American Wolf” as Elgin caught Richards across his shoulders for the shock drop! Both men stumbled to their feet, with Elgin German suplexing Richards over and over again. Wheelbarrow suplex by Elgin sent Richards into the turnbuckles. Somehow, Richards fired back with kicks after kneeing his way out of another suplex. Elgin refused to take those kicks without firing back with a huge clothesline that actually almost ended Richards’ night.
The crowd rallied behind both men. Punching his way out of the power bomb, Richards double stomped Elgin’s massive chest. Michael Elgin was missile dropkicked into the Ankle Lock. Muscling his way to the ropes saved “Unbreakable”. Richards started throwing some more kicks that actually fired Elgin up. We had a Kawada-knee strike exchange breaking loose until Elgin suplexed Richards into the sidewalk slam. Sadly for Elgin, he was too exhausted to capitalize. Both men rolled onto the apron, with Richards exploder suplexing Elgin across the apron for a double stomp that gained him a two count. Elgin refused to be denied, spitting in Richards’ face when Davey Richards started unleashing kick after kick. The fans begged for Elgin to either tap or not. Elgin used the ropes to kick Richards into a cradle Curtain Call … for a two count!
Elgin scaled the ropes as the fans chanted for both men. Tumbleweed missed for Elgin, giving “The American Wolf” a chance to execute the flying forearm-running knee combo. Elgin stopped Davey’s superplex to hit a super air raid crash! Richards kicked out of the follow up pin, only to take a tumbleweed seconds later for another two count! Davey Richards rolled out of the power bomb attempt, looking for that Ankle Lock. Instead, Richards ran into a knee to the jaw. Turnbuckle bomb-Spiral Bomb combination by “Unbreakable” connected to give Michael Elgin the three count!
Winner: Michael Elgin (24:54)
Is It A Classic: This was close to, if not as good as Richards-Elgin from Ring of Honor’s “Showdown in the Sun: Day Two” – a definite classic. The only thing lacking was a hot crowd throughout thanks to the sheer exhaustion of a very long night. But Elgin and Richards did a wonderful job getting the fans on their feet during the last ten or so minutes unlike any other match during the show; just a wonderful match that needs to be seen.
