by J.D.RingDispatch.com presents
2022 MILO FLYNN CUP
NIGHT TWO RECAP
By: Tanner Quest
Hooray, you’re back! Thank you all SO MUCH for reading/liking/sharing the Night One recap; it’s already become one of the most popular articles on our site! As a reminder, we’ve got recaps of the tournament from previous years here, and this link will take you to Peter Rahal’s collection of weird statistics about the history of the Milo Flynn Cup!
And now, on with the show!
Tonight’s video package is a highlight reel of Night One, again set to “No Shelter.” Amazing how they can get these done so fast. Highlights include: the Spicy Bois’ synchronized moonsaults, Bracken Kreuger almost throwing Chaz Maximum to the moon, Dangerous Mix laying out Joe Raleigh, Angel Quinley kicking a chair into Ian Baxter’s face, Peach Backshots taking Dennis Colton over with a flying headscissor, Triple R brawling with Randall Schwartz, Miranda Xu landing several devastating kicks on Ancho Man, and several (but somehow not enough) key moments from last night’s main event, finishing off with the Sixth Armament–which we have since learned is called “Secace.”
In the ring, Charles Beckett and Scott Jamison welcome us back for Round 2. Scott says he doesn’t know how they’re going to top yesterday, but they’re sure going to try. I don’t know how either, and I can’t wait to find out.
THE NEW WORLD TRASH vs. THE NEW EAST SIDE ANGELS
Within moments of the bell, the New World Trash’s battle plan was obvious: much like last night, they went straight after the opponent’s strength. In this case, it was speed, agility, and striking.
Miranda Xu and Bex Savage led off with a striking contest. Bex’s elbows and knees hit harder, but Miranda’s kicks came faster and more often, as she kept driving Savage back.
When Savage tagged in Quinley, the Chinatown Doll suddenly had more trouble connecting with her devastating kicks. She tagged out to Mercado-Cruz, and the brakes came off of the match.
The two women turned into a series of blurs around the ring, stunning the crowd with their quickness, agility, and death-defying dives. After a few minutes, Angel spilled to the outside for a breather, and also in hopes that she could trick Carmen into a high-risk maneuver. But while she expected Merado-Cruz to fly over the top rope, she instead slid under the bottom, catching Angel with a teeth-rattling baseball slide.
The back-and-forth continued for several minutes, with the Angels slowly gaining the advantage. Carmen Mercado-Cruz was wrestling with more confidence, and Xu had started kicking at where her opponent would be, instead of where they were. It was clear the Trash needed to change tactics, so they went with the only one they knew: chaos.
Bex caught one of Miranda’s kicks, lifted her up, and threw her so hard she almost hit the guardrail. Carmen charged, but was quickly back body dropped out of the ring as well…and as both of the Angels got back to their feet, the New World Trash laid them out with stereo suicide dives.
As the match broke down, Angel and Carmen started a game of one-upmanship, using the other team’s partner as targets. Quinley leveled Xu with a springboard dropkick; Mercado-Cruz took out Savage with a tornado DDT. The Eternal Sunrise connected with a beautiful moonsault; La Hermanita tried to put the match away with the Angel Roll. She executed the move perfectly, rotating the full 630 degrees before landing on her back.
Unfortunately, she did not land on Bex Savage. Bex had rolled out of the way just as Carmen had jumped off the turnbuckle, then rolled back over in a pin attempt. Carmen was able to kick out in desperation, but wasn’t able to prevent the New World Trash from giving her a serious dose of Cement Poisoning, and Savage made the pin. (16:31)
WINNERS: New World Trash, Rating: ***
For the second straight match, the Trash beat their opponents at their own game. This was Quinley’s time to shine, as the Eternal Sunrise left the crowd speechless on several occasions with her high-risk offense.
Some of the blame has to lay at the feet of Carmen Mercado-Cruz; her lack of experience and overenthusiasm cost the Angels in several key moments. In a few years, I expect her to soar as high as the rest of the Angels, but this just wasn’t her year.
The lights dimmed so that another video could be played: a prerecorded message from Jesus von Killyourfamily, aka Homeless Havok–Milo Flynn’s tag team partner and the other half of the Gutterpunks. He regretted not being able to attend, but it filled his heart to know that all these people had come together to show love to his fallen friend.
CROWNLESS KINGDOM vs. LOS REBELDES DEL BIEN
Avalon and Marchesi were looking very good for the first few minutes of this match, utilizing their skill and experience to keep Pedro Gonzales cut off and worn down. It was beginning to look like they might have an easier go of it, which would be great news after their war of attrition at the end of Night One.
But (and there’s always a but, isn’t there) it wouldn’t last. Just when things looked fully in control–the Kingdom had just hit stereo dives to opposite sides of the ring–Mestizo got involved, and in a heartbreaking way. He attacked Franco Marchesi, which allowed Persona Non Grata to throw Franco into the barricade, then followed this up by throwing Mestizo at him. The throw was…let’s say, not accurate…and Franco got hit in the leg by a tiny, angry fuzzball. That’s probably the worst place for him to get hit, considering his history of injuries to that limb…injuries that got re-aggravated by that attack.
From there it was all Los Rebeldes, as they were able to double- and sometimes triple-team Coral Avalon while Franco was incapacitated. Still, no matter what they tried, they couldn’t keep Coral down for the three count. Double DDT, kickout. PNG’s fisherman suplex, kickout. Pedro’s superkick, even AFTER removing his tearaway pants, still wasn’t enough.
Finally, they went for their signature Impulsado Por La Locura…but in an absolutely dazzling display, Avalon escaped from the brainbuster hold, then kicked out PNG’s knee, causing him to drop his own partner to the mat. From there Coral went on the offense, and what offense it was. He dropped PNG with a huge lariat, then after the tag to Pedro, countered a moonsault, then transitioned from an inside cradle straight into Vortigern’s Pillory.
Persona Non Grata broke up the hold, and nearly got himself DQ’d while trying to add extra punishment. But while referee Isaac Hanlon dealt with that, he didn’t see Mestizo enter the ring from the other side. Coral didn’t see it either.
You know who did see it? Franco Marchesi. Flak Cannon. OBLITERATED.
PNG tried to restore their advantage, but got a Rhongomyniad for his troubles. Avalon made the tag, and they set their sights on Pedro Gonzales.
Rhongomyniad. Flak Cannon. Excalibur. Golden Wind.
Done. (23:36)
WINNERS: Crownless Kingdom, Rating: *** ½
I don’t think the injury to Franco’s leg was intentional, but that kind of thing has no place at the Flynn Cup. Something really should have been done about Mestizo after the first round.
Shenanigans aside, Los Rebeldes del Bien performed very well this weekend, and I’m sure some company will be taking a look at them. The presence of Mestizo could hurt them though…or help. Who knows?
The Crownless Kingdom impressed again, though the injury to Marchesi’s leg is very troubling. But Coral and Franco have made careers out of overcoming adversity. Last night, they exorcized the demon of the 2017 finals; in this round they overcame the numbers game. If anyone can power through this disadvantage, it’s the Crownless Kingdom.
Beydaan Duale confirmed that this would be a record-setting year for the Flynn Cup in terms of money raised. The event sold out both nights, there were a record number of livestream viewers, and the merchandise stand had already sold out of Gutterpunk trash cans. The normally reserved Duale grinned from ear to ear when she talked about all the things the money would be used for. No doubt this will be a huge aid to the homeless population of MSP.
NO QUARTER vs. THE COLTONS
The match started with Benjamin Colton and Daryn Thompson; the Texas Technician easily gained the upper hand. This happened in part because she came at him full speed out of the gate, and also because her opponent wasn’t taking things seriously yet. At least Benny didn’t try hitting on her; he probably would have got his teeth knocked out.
But as it usually does, a solid beating helped snap him back into reality and the match became much more competitive. Thompson maintained control, though, as she was able to match–and exceed–both his skill and his agility.
Both teams tagged out, but Bracken Krueger vs. Dennis Colton was more of the same. Dennis was good at using his size and power, but Bracken was better. It looked like No Quarter was going to roll through Round 2 as well…until Krueger tagged out. And Dennis didn’t.
Thompson struggled a lot more with the larger Colton, as it turned out. The size difference took away a lot of her arsenal, and while she had plenty of experience fighting men almost twice her size, Dennis was a little more methodical than she expected. He conserved his energy better than big men usually do, and was able to control the match for a few minutes before Daryn finally made the desperation tag. And as Bracken Krueger came back in…so did Benny Colton.
This proved to be another mismatch in the Colton’s favor; while Colton didn’t press the offensive much, he was able to dodge or counter most of Krueger’s attacks. The Lakeshore Leviathan soon found himself struggling to catch his breath, so he went to tag out, and Benjamin did the same.
Only this time, it was No Quarter who had pulled the fake, and Bracken was soon pounding away on Dennis again. He connected with his signature double underhook piledriver, Blood in the Water, but Benny broke up the pin. A quick tag brought the Daughter of Dust back into the ring, and she kept Dennis on the mat with a series of submission holds, first targeting the left knee, then the left arm. Denny was only narrowly able to escape the Legacy Lock by grabbing the ropes, then dragging himself into the Coltons’ corner.
Benjamin tried but failed to turn the tide, and No Quarter were on a roll again…but Bracken made a crucial mistake in going for his cobra clutch backbreaker. It made sense; using the family’s signature hold against them would be a huge blow to their morale. But the Coltons know that move inside and out–how to apply it, and more importantly here, how to escape it. As soon as Krueger wrapped Benny’s arm across his throat, Benny grabbed Bracken’s arm and used the leverage to take the big man down with a shoulder throw. A drop toe hold put Krueger’s throat across the bottom rope, and Benjamin followed that up by slingshotting himself over the top, then landing on the apron with a leg drop, driving Krueger’s face into the hardest part of the ring.
Thompson broke up the ensuing pin, which allowed her to tag herself in, and then things broke down in a hurry. Both teams fought wildly in an effort to gain control, but it seemed every time one person would try for a big move, the opponent’s partner put a stop to it. But No Quarter were better brawlers than the Coltons, and they were able to knock Dennis out of the ring.
That left Benjamin alone in the ring with No Quarter, and there’s only one way that’s going to end. DNR.
Except that Benny found a second way, which was to get his hands on Thompson’s knees and brace against the impact of her landing. As she fell, Benjamin was able to use the momentum to slip out of Bracken’s grip, then flipped over Daryn Thompson and rebounded off the ropes. He launched himself into the air and hit a massive elbow strike on Krueger, knocking him down and out of the ring. By now Dennis had recovered, so the Coltons made their plan to finish the match.
Ben whipped Daryn toward the corner, but didn’t let go of her arm, so instead of crashing into the turnbuckles, she only got to where Denny was waiting with a boot to the face. That didn’t knock Thompson down, but it did stagger her enough for Benny to pull her back in, quickly transition into the Colton Clutch, and drop her with his signature Leg Sweep. Dennis blocked Kreuger from breaking up the pin, and the Coltons scored a tremendous upset. (21:44)
WINNERS: The Coltons, Rating: ****
Even with the improvement they’ve shown, I don’t think anyone saw this result coming. No Quarter looked dominant last night, just like they did in their 2019 run, and were heavy favorites for the finals again this year. It’s possible that they were underestimating the Coltons, but I think it’s more likely that the cousins brought just enough of the unknown into the match to keep their opponents off guard. While Dennis tends to be more methodical–and a lot smarter than people seem to realize–Benjamin thrives on chaos.
That said, if No Quarter comes back next year, don’t expect another 2nd-round exit. They’re going to be focused and angry, and won’t be caught napping again. Perhaps Year 10 of the Flynn Cup is when we get our first repeat winner.
Tonia Mercado was asked about the performance of the New East Side Angels this weekend. She was proud of what they’d done, but there was still a lot of work to be done–especially by her little sister. When asked about her own condition, she said she was hopeful about an upcoming surgery, but fully expected the wheelchair to remain part of her life.
DARK OVERLORDS OF WRESTLING vs. DANGEROUS MIX
David Fox started the match for the Mix, and immediately started working over Triple R’s knee…but only kicked him with his left leg. Strikes and throws came from either direction, but kicks to the leg were always don with Fox’s left.
When Sufferable came into the ring we saw the reverse, as Fox’s kicks always came from his right leg.
It eventually became apparent what David Fox was doing. He would target Justin Sufferable’s left knee, which would make it easier to break out of the Figure Four later on…but against Triple R, he would target the right knee, which is the one he used for the Road Rage Rampage. Right from the bell, David was wrestling with the end of the match in mind.
The DOW weren’t likely to let that happen forever though, and threw plenty of punishment Fox’s way. Sufferable started targeting Fox’s legs with his holds, in order to lessen the effect of the kicks, and Triple R just bludgeoned the smaller man with fist and forearm.
Enter Mushigihara. The former sumo used his size to bully DOW all over the ring (if Big Mushi wants you to be somewhere, that’s where you’re going.) While Fox recovered, Mushigihara threw his weight around, along with the weight of Justin Sufferable and Triple R. But when he came off the ropes, looking to flatten Triple R with a huge lariat, manager Jackson C. Horne grabbed Mushi’s foot. It wasn’t enough to bring the big man down, but it did get his attention, allowing Triple R to attack him from behind.
Both teams stuck to their game plans: Fox targeted the DOW’s knees; Mushi tossed people around; Sufferable and Triple R employed the time-honored strategy of Violence and occasional Cheating.
The real turning point came when Justin Sufferable caught one of Fox’s kicks, then used a dragon screw leg whip to wrench Fox’s knee. With David briefly out of commission, the Dark Overlords of Wrestling were able to double-team Mushigihara with impunity; even a mighty ex-sumo can only do so much. Mushi was subjected to powerful strikes, impactful throws, painful holds, and–when the ref wasn’t looking–cheap shots.
Things were looking very bleak for the Mix until the Overlords threw Mushi into the ropes. They had intended to flapjack him onto the top rope, but instead Mushi clotheslined both of them out of the ring! That allowed the big man to tag Fox back in, who promptly cleaned Triple R’s clock with a baseball slide, then threw Sufferable back into the ring.
Justin Sufferable was kept off balance and frustrated by a series of flash pins; everything from a crucifix roll-up to a La Majistral. When Justin got back to his feet, looking dizzy, David Fox went for the Flashbang…but it turned out that Sufferable was playing possum, and ducked the kick. He followed with a huge kneebreaker, and transitioned right into the figure four. Fox nearly broke the hold, hammering on Justin’s left leg, and Mushi tried to help…but Triple R clobbered him to the outside and, on the way back to his corner, gave Fox a swift kick in the head. That was enough to prevent any further escape attempts, and the referee called for the bell. (19:22)
WINNERS: Dark Overlords of Wrestling, Rating: ****
A really fun match, with a lot of back-and-forth, and both teams being on the same page. It came down to who could better execute their game plan, and tonight it was the Overlords. They continued to represent MVW well in the tournament, and I wouldn’t be shocked at all to see them hold their company’s tag titles again soon.
Even in defeat, the Dangerous Mix performed well. They had a sound strategy, but unfortunately weren’t able to pull it off. Fox and Mushi should still hold their heads up though, and like the Masters, hopefully they can bring this energy back to PRIME with them.
David McBride was interviewed from his front row seat. He talked about how important the event is to him, as he and Beckett crossed paths with Flynn on several occasions. “One of the best guys I ever met.”
The reporter also asked how Crash & Burn would do in the Flynn Cup. David laughed, saying, “We’d be lucky to get in at all! We never even dreamed of the stuff a lot of these teams are doing. We might have been one of the best in our time, but that time is over. I just feel lucky that I can see where the future of tag team wrestling is headed.”
When asked about Ian Nackedy’s custom shirt that he always wears to events where Crash & Burn will be, David scowled–a flash of the man he used to be. “No comment.”
THE COLTONS vs. CROWNLESS KINGDOM
Dueling chants to start, which had to feel really good for the younger Coltons. What didn’t was the beginning of the match. After some back-and-forth, Benny got the advantage with a front facelock, and took that moment to showboat a little bit. This got IMMEDIATELY twisted into Vortigern’s Pillory, and the match was almost over inside of two minutes. Only timely intervention from Dennis prevented the submission.
The Kingdom had Benjamin on lockdown after that, with Franco delivering punishing blows and Coral picking him apart with his technical mastery. This went on for a few more minutes, before Benny finally made the tag to his cousin.
Dennis promptly went what can only be described as “full BEEFTANK.”
He entered the ring, trucked straight through Avalon and knocked Marchesi off the apron. And while Coral Avalon is no stranger to wrestling men bigger and more powerful than he is, he needed a moment to get his bearings, and Dennis wasn’t about to give it to him. Clubbing forearms, big slams, and a rear chinlock kept Coral on the mat and away from his corner. Once Benny recovered, Dennis made the tag and the boys from Indiana really took over.
The beating that Benny took from the Kingdom early was paid back with interest, as the cousins delivered violence upon Avalon’s already thoroughly-violenced body. Punishing power moves and disorienting double-teams were freely distributed, and though Coral kept escaping the pin attempts, he was clearly starting to fade. It looked like it might be over after Benny catapulted his opponent into the corner, where Dennis’ boot had been waiting, then climbed up to the second rope. He dove with a flying clothesline, but didn’t connect with Avalon’s chest…but rather, his arm. European Uppercut, and Benjamin got dropped like a bad habit. That allowed for the hot tag, and Franco threw everyone a European Uppercut party, before throwing Benny all over the ring. Additional uppercuts kept Dennis off the apron, but the last time it happened, Benny took Franco’s knee out with a chop block, and the Coltons were back in command.
Benny isolated Franco’s leg, eventually locking on a figure four. Coral tried to break it up, but Dennis made a very forceful stop. He pressed his advantage too far on the outside, though, and got sent into the guard rail. That gave Coral another chance to break the hold. How did he do it?
Carn-fucking-wennan. Avalon drove his feet right into Benjamin’s chest with the Fifth Armament, and I’m shocked that his kidney didn’t pop out.
Coral tagged back into the match and took control, neutralizing Denny for a moment before setting Benny up for the kill. Dennis tried to get involved again, but Franco put a stop to that with the Flak Cannon.
Benjamin finally got back to his feet, and the first thing he saw was Coral’s boot. Rhongomyniad. Then, he saw the charging Marchesi. Flak Cannon. Coral wasted no time in dropping Colton with Excalibur, which set up Franco and the Golden Wind. Benny went up…and came down.
But so did Franco. The bigger man’s leg had finally given out, and he was unable to complete the move.
Coral frantically set up Camelot’s Turntable, but Dennis had finally recovered by that point. He tore his cousin loose, then captured Avalon in the Colton Clutch and delivered a powerful slam. Dennis dragged Benjamin on top for the cover, but Franco made a desperate dive to break up the pin.
But he couldn’t turn the tide, and got clotheslined out of the ring. That left Coral alone, again, with both Coltons. Benjamin locked in the family’s signature hold from behind, then Dennis hoisted Coral up by his legs. Then, they both dropped hard to the mat, bringing Avalon with them.
The Colton Crash.
Franco tried to break up this pin as well, but his leg wouldn’t let him and neither would Dennis.
Referee Sarah Whitlock counted to three, and the arena exploded. (23:16)
WINNERS: The Coltons, Rating: ****
First, we have to address the obvious: the injury to Franco Marchesi in the previous round probably cost the Kingdom this match. That’s not to take away anything from the Coltons, but after Night One, it felt like this might finally be the Crownless Kingdom’s year. Sadly, it was not to be. They were incredible as always, but Franco’s injury, combined with the toll taken by last night’s match with Sound & Fury, probably kept them out of the finals.
Full credit to the Coltons, though. I thought for sure that Benjamin and Dennis had hit their ceiling in the No Quarter match, but they found and reached an entirely new level in this one. They proved themselves against a couple of legends in this match, and it looks like they’re finally ready to open their own chapter of the Colton legacy.
The announce team found Jared Sykes and Justine Calvin, who hold the PRIME Tag Team Championships as the Kings of Popsicles. Jared talked about how he felt to be back in Minnesota and catch up with old friends–Sykes was close with Crash & Burn during their time in Minnesota State Wrestling. He was also proud of Beckett’s involvement with the tournament, saying “It’s good to know one of us can function as an adult.” (This would be a great surprise to Beckett’s wife.) As for his own foray into tag team wrestling, he said that he was committed to his current team, and, pending Lindsay Troy’s approval, would be happy to give a shot to any of the Flynn Cup teams.
Justine Calvin talked up the efforts of Maximum Justice, whom she had a hand in training, and expected them to improve on this year’s (disappointing) performance. She was also very excited to see Coral Avalon wrestle in person, as she has been a fan for many years but had never seen him wrestle in person. “Hard to believe he’s also that Blackberry guy.” Being thought of as a contemporary to Avalon, and to the other top talents in the tournament, still felt strange.
DARK OVERLORDS OF WRESTLING vs. THE NEW WORLD TRASH
The first question that came to mind was, would the New World Trash use the same strategy as they did in the first two rounds? The answer came as soon as the bell rang, when Bex Savage punched Triple R right in the face. The Raconteur of Road Rage sneered and fired right back, tearing her stitches open again…but not stopping her from throwing another strike. That would hold throughout the match; sometimes Quinley would try to speed things up with high risk moves, or Sufferable would try to slow things down with submission holds, but things would usually go right back to four people hitting each other as hard as they could.
This put the Dark Overlords of Wrestling at a natural advantage, but they were slowed significantly by the damage done to their knees in the previous round. The Trash knew this, and made sure to throw extra shots to the damaged joints when they could.
Still, the DOW held the momentum, thanks to their years of experience and also timely intervention from “Legendary Manager” Jackson C. Horne. He was a constant thorn in the side of the New World Trash, whether it be putting feet on ropes, tripping the opponents, or distracting referee Ed Farraday so that his charges could get in cheap shots.
Jackson even went so far as to throw a chair in the ring, but Bex Savage caught it and threw it back at him. By some miracle, Jackson Horne caught it before it hit him in the head…but he didn’t see Angel Quinley charge around the ring and fly at him feet-first, kicking the chair into his head and knocking him into the ring steps…much to the delight of the crowd.
Desperate to maintain the advantage, Justin quickly applied the Figure Four onto Angel, but couldn’t quite cinch it up thanks to his damaged leg. He made up for this by grabbing Triple R’s hands, pulling on them for extra leverage. He was forced to break the hold (after the referee had counted to four, of course) but had slowed down Quinley. Angel dragged herself across the ring to make the tag, and Savage–her face covered in her own blood and probably someone else’s–decided to tilt the balance. She ran past Sufferable and kicked Triple R’s knee off the apron, causing him to come straight down and hit his jaw on the side of the ring. From there, she dazed Justin Sufferable with a knee lift, then flattened him with an axe kick. Finally, she dragged him to the corner, slid outside the ring, and pulled him crotch-first into the ring post.
But that wasn’t enough for the Ripper. While Justin tried to recover, she grabbed his left leg, pulled it back, and slammed it into the ring post as hard as she could. Sufferable screamed in pain and rolled out of the ring, pausing just long enough for Triple R to tag himself back in.
The Raconteur of Road Rage was a house afire at that point. Each kick caused a new bruise, each punch opened another cut on Bex’s face. She faced it all with the same blood-soaked snarl, which got kicked right off of her face by a huge boot.
As Bex slowly regained her footing, Triple R took aim, ran as fast as he could, and connected with the Road Rage Rampage. The running high knee caught Bex in the head, putting her down for the count…only there was no count. The move had finally pushed Triple R’s knee past its limits, and it gave out as soon as he took another step. Soon he was on the mat next to Savage, writhing in agony, completely unaware of what Angel Quinley was up to.
What she was up to…was the top rope. The Overlord had landed in the perfect position for Angel to attempt the Eternal Sunrise, and she hit it square. She threw Savage’s arm on top of the opponent, then charged the opposite side of the ring and sailed over the top rope, onto an oblivious Justin Sufferable. Meanwhile, Bex Savage opened her eyes just in time to see the ref’s hand to hit the mat for the third time. (17:10)
WINNERS: New World Trash, Rating: *** ½
For the third straight round, the Trash matched their opponent’s strength and won. This time they proved themselves to be better brawlers (although the focused attacks on the knees in the previous round certainly deserve an assist.) I can’t say enough about how impressive these two have been; they came out of relative obscurity (somehow avoiding the Seattle Curse, though that affects promotions more than individual wrestlers) and have already shown themselves not just capable, but excellent, at a variety of different styles.
A disappointing ending for the Dark Overlords of Wrestling, but still an impressive run all the way to the semifinals. There are legendary teams that never made it this far, and a performance like this should put the rest of the MVW tag division on notice. No doubt that Sufferable and Triple R (along with manager Jackson C. Horne) are already plotting how to build off of this.
Officials called for an intermission so that Savage and Quinley could get re-stitched before the main event. The staff tried to get an interview with Jake Colton, but he and his son Nate had already gone to the back to check on their family members.
Instead, they talked to wrestling legend Lester Schmidt, who was part of the Heartless Express, along with the late Algernon Hart. He appreciated the charitable aspect of the tournament, but his main reason for attending is “to watch these people whip the dog piss out of each other. I love it.”
Then he started telling a story about piledriving a mummy? I dunno. Shit got weird.
FINAL ROUND
THE COLTONS
vs.
THE NEW WORLD TRASH
Both teams had emerged victorious three times this weekend, but they all paid a heavy price. Benjamin Colton’s breathing was labored and his ribs were heavily taped. Bex Savage had only just got stitched up again; her ring gear was soaked with blood. Dennis appeared to be lightheaded, and was favoring his left arm. Angel Quinley walked to the ring with an obvious limp.
None of them had considered, even for a moment, the idea of giving up.
There was a trophy to be won. There was history to be made.
Senior official Isaac Hanlon checked each competitor. Benny said something to Savage, and Bex–who often screamed but rarely spoke in the ring–said something in return. Whatever it was, it made Benjamin laugh…and then wince.
The bell rang, and all hell broke loose.
Considering the condition of the competitors, all four of them knew that the match could end at any moment. They dispensed with long-term strategies, and started swinging for the fences immediately.
Bex worked over Benny’s ribs; Benny fired back with a headbutt that opened the cut on Savage’s forehead again. Angel Quinley kept Dennis reeling with running strikes and springboard attacks, until a cross-body was countered with a massive powerslam. In the first five minutes, we saw a high angle release German suplex, a small package DDT, a massive powerbomb, and sunset lungblower. They all were followed by pin attempts.
Kickout at two, every time.
At this point, the Coltons started digging into their repertoire of double-team maneuvers. Double suplex, chop block combined with a spinning heel kick, charging European uppercut in the corner, followed by a huge splash. None of it finished the match.
Bex Savage and Angel Quinley also started pulling from deeper in their arsenal. Savage monkey flipped Benjamin out of the corner, only for Quinley to dropkick him in mid-air. Stereo superkicks to either side of Dennis’ head. Double implant DDT. Two counts only.
They raised the stakes even further. Savage went for the De-Rezzer, but Dennis rolled away just in time, and Bex drove her knee into the mat. Before she could recover, Dennis attempted the Colton Clutch Slam, but was pushed away by Angel Quinley. Quinley penalty kicked Dennis and went for the double stomp to complete the Icebreaker, but she was speared by Benjamin. Benny tried his own Colton Clutch on Angel, but Bex Savage delivered a brutal shot to the ribs, and he was forced to let go.
While they all caught their breath, there was some commotion from the back, and then people started walking through the apron. The first ones out were the Dangerous Mix. They were followed by the Angels and Dark Overlords, then “Salty” Pete Yardley, London Underground, and the Spicy Bois. No Quarter came out. Sound & Fury. NDNation. Finally, Coral Avalon and Franco Marchesi, the Kingdom that still remained Crownless.
All the teams that hadn’t gone home yet were here to see the end of the tournament…and watching a tiny monitor in the back just wasn’t good enough.
No pressure.
The Coltons retreated to their corner, and Benjamin was starting to cough up blood. Dennis’ right eye had swollen shut. By some miracle they were still in the match, but that wouldn’t last forever. It was time to end it.
Unfortunately, their primary weapon, the Colton Clutch and its assorted variants, were no longer an option. The New World Trash had it too well scouted, and Benny probably couldn’t hold it anyway. It was time for something new…or, something old.
Dennis Colton gained an advantage over Bex Savage and hoisted her up over her shoulder, face down. He reached back to tag in Benny, who grabbed Bex’s head, with her chin over his shoulder.
Indiana had a modest number of wrestling heroes, but the ones who made the list shined brightly. Jake Colton was there (even though he’s a transplant); Rezin would be someday, if he wasn’t already. But if you bring up tag teams, then there’s only one to talk about. The one…
…the only…
…tag team that matters.
“Rottweiler” GD West. “Stray Cat’ Tom West. The Westsiders.
Their combination stunner/gutbuster carved a path through the National Wrestling Council in 1999. It finished the match that won them the World Tag Team Titles, as well as five successful defenses. It brought down champions, former and future.
Westside Demolition.
The audience, who were almost as tired as the people in the ring, exploded one more time. Somehow, Charles Beckett could be heard shouting “DUUUUUUDE!” over all of them.
Benny rolled Savage over and made the pin.
One.
Two.
Three.
Three inches.
That’s how far Isaac Hanlon’s hand was from the mat, when Angel Quinley drove a top rope elbow drop into the back of Benny Colton’s head.
She half-hobbled, half-ran off the ropes and laid out Benjamin with a running knee strike, while Dennis had already rolled out the apron but couldn’t pull himself up. Quinley pulled Savage to their corner and tagged herself in, then laid out Benny again with a running pump kick.
Time to end this. Time for the Eternal Sunrise to shine.
Angel Quinley ascended the turnbuckles and jumped, rotating backwards as she flew forward. She completed the rotation of the shooting star press, and aimed her feet downward, her Eternal Sunrise threatening to turn Benny’s internal organs into jelly.
But Dennis had just enough left in the BEEFTANK to prevent that from happening, as he body-checked her out of mid-air, through the ropes, and down to the floor.
Savage charged the ring, but Dennis ducked her lariat and hoisted her up into a torture rack. Even with his strength fading and his knees buckling, he had just enough in him to point up at the heavens, and the crowd–especially those familiar with the tournament’s namesake–roared with delight. They knew what was coming.
The Hobo Rack Slam.
Dennis dropped to his side, bringing Savage crashing neck-first into the mat. Unable to get up, he flopped over Bex to make whatever cover he could.
The Hobo Rack Slam was the most devastating move in Milo Flynn’s arsenal. He had won a number of matches with it over the years, and in fact, nobody had ever kicked out of it. Bex Savage would not buck that trend.
The referee ran up to the pinfall attempt, looked closely, went down on his hands and knees…
…and informed Dennis that neither he nor Bex Savage were the legal participants.
Dennis rolled off, his face buried in his hands out of shame and frustration, and tried to get back on his feet. And after an entire tournament of seeing the New World Trash playing their opponents’ game, we finally saw them do what they do best.
What they do best is…whatever it takes.
Angel Quinley had crawled back up to the apron and vaulted herself onto the top rope, turning around as she did so. She sprung off the top rope, turned around again in mid-air, then cinched a headlock on Dennis Colton and spun around one more time before finally driving his head into the mat. It was the one move in Angel Quinley’s arsenal that, somehow, we hadn’t seen her do in the tournament. The 720 DDT.
The K-Wolf.
Dennis Colton lay motionless on the mat. But again, he wasn’t the legal man.
Quinley and Savage roused themselves and struggled to their feet. Benny Colton did the same a moment later…but it was a moment too late.
Bex Savage hoisted him up in the air, which was the last place Benny Colton wanted to be. Especially with Angel Quinley coming off the top rope, her feet aimed right at his chest.
Trash Run.
And after a night full of lucky breaks, last-second miracles, and opportunities seized…the Coltons’ luck finally ran out. (25:28)
WINNERS OF THE 2022 MILO FLYNN CUP
THE NEW WORLD TRASH
Rating: **** ½
As fantastic as this was, it could have been even better if both teams hadn’t beaten themselves up so badly in the first three rounds. The spots were amazing, but were usually followed by thirty seconds of waiting for the participants to stop being dead. But that’s me being nitpicky, focusing on the half-star that isn’t there, instead of the four and a half stars that are. This was incredible. The surprise finalists delivered a main event worthy of the name on the trophy.
I know I said earlier that if it hadn’t been for Franco Marchesi’s injury, the tournament would have gone differently. But “what if” doesn’t matter; “what is” does. The Coltons made the most of the opportunities in front of them, defeated one team that has won the Flynn and another that made the finals twice, and took the eventual winners to the limit. Especially for such a young team, that’s an amazing performance.
The New World Trash were relative unknowns coming into the tournament, but now the whole world knows who they are. Winning the Flynn is an incredible feat, but what makes it even more amazing is how they did it–for each of the first three rounds, they played to their opponents’ strength. They beat London Underground in a hardcore match, they defeated the New East Side Angels by matching their speed, and they went punch-for-punch with the Dark Overlords of Wrestling.
In the end, they played their own game, and that’s what put them over the top.
Charles Beckett and Geoff McGregor brought the enormous trophy to the ring, as the four people who just went to war finally rose from the dead. The Coltons shook hands and offered congratulations to the winners then left the ring, with Benjamin leaning very heavily on Dennis. They were met halfway down the aisle by EMTs, who helped them backstage.
With Scott Jamison holding the ropes open for them, Charles and Geoff entered the ring and presented it to Bex and Angel. The New World Trash tried to remain stoic, but you could tell they were overwhelmed with emotion. If there was any spot on Bex’s face that wasn’t covered in blood, it was because that blood had been washed away by tears.
Charles made the announcement, amazingly without referencing any cartoons.
“We came here this weekend, like we do every year, to celebrate the life of a man we loved by advancing a sport that he loved. Sixteen teams gave everything they had, but only one gets this sweet trophy. It gives me great pleasure to introduce the winners of the 2022 Milo Flynn Cup…the NEW! WORLD! TRASH!”
The crowd, hoarse from yelling and exhausted from the spectacle, exploded one more time. Confetti rained down from the ceiling. Beckett offered big hugs to the winners, but was negotiated down to handshakes. More EMTs gathered around the ring, ready to give medical attention as soon as the word was given.
Now alone in the center of the ring, Bex Savage and Angel Quinley took it all in. Their victory tonight was perhaps guaranteed by their outlook. The future is guaranteed to nobody. There is only the moment, the right now. It was easy to sacrifice the days to come, because they might not.
Tomorrow, they will falter. Tomorrow, they will die. But tonight…
Tonight, the New World Trash will live forever.
Recommendation: What are you waiting for? Go watch it. If you just watched it, watch it again. After you’ve watched the show again, make sure to share this article (thanks again for reading!) and be on the lookout for Savannah Scandal’s Rumor Mill, which should be released tomorrow morning.
I don’t know if this was the best Flynn Cup ever–we’ll have that conversation when the dust settles–but it was certainly the biggest. I’m confident that it will break records for attendance, views, and amount raised. And wrestling fans will always remember the names of the New World Trash, just like we remember “The Raging Hobo” Milo Flynn.
Dedicated to the memory of Tim Jones. May you be at peace, friend.