The SmarK Rant for Destiny World Wrestling – 10.28.24

The SmarK Rant for Destiny World Wrestling “Haywire” – 10.28.24

The Fight Network here in Canada is in free preview, so that means I get the G1 Climax 32 finals with Ospreay v. Okada here on a random Tuesday night, followed by whatever this show is. Not gonna lie they’re gonna have a tough time following that match because that was a hell of a match.

But hey, let’s try it! Apparently this is some kind of a Fight Network exclusive in Canada, so good for them.

The description on the guide is “The hottest talents from Canada taking on some of the world’s biggest superstars”. I’m assuming that “Some” is doing a lot of heavy lifting there.

Taped from the Don Kolov arena in Mississauga, Ontario, which is where they did the wacky throwback episodes of TNA. Production values are pretty decent!

Hosted by Sam Laterna

Meanwhile, Champagne Singh says Joe Hendry’s name and he appears, even more annoying than he is on social media.

Meanwhile, KC Navarro stops by, looking to be the new face of the New Era Championship division. I guess he’s a TNA guy on loan.

Champagne Singh v. Joe Hendry

Fun fact: First time I’ve actually watched a Joe Hendry match. Hendry takes him down with a wristlock and escapes a headscissors while the crowd lets us know that they believe in Joe Hendry. Apparently TNA does not, judging by him doing the job to Dolph Ziggler. They trade shoulderblocks while the announcers discuss recent NXT developments, which is always kind of trippy to hear as a wrestling fan. Singh necks Hendry on the top rope and backdrops him to take over, as we take a break. This gives me a chance to learn about all the hot singles that I can apparently connect with via the phone, although sadly the hot singles are only in Regina and not Saskatoon, so they’re about a 3 hour drive for me if I want to connect with them. I’m gonna have to pass. Back with Hendry getting a sunset flip and rollup for two, but Singh cuts him off with a back elbow and puts the boots to him. Singh with a guillotine, but Hendry powers him up into a suplex and makes the comeback with clotheslines and the fallaway slam into the Joe Hendry Pose. Singh escapes the finisher and hits him with a flatliner for two. They trade shots and Singh gets an enzuigiri, but he walks into a cutter and both guys are down. They slug it out and Hendry wins that battle, but he charges and Singh puts the ref in the way and uses the ropes for two. Singh goes up and looks very uncomfortable up there, and Singh misses a crossbody by quite a lot, allowing Hendry to finish him with the Standing Ovation chokeslam at 12:00. Man’s got a catchy theme song, you have to give him that. This was a totally cromulent and workmanlike match that you wouldn’t be ashamed to take home and meet your parents. **3/4

The commercials for the Bullseye Pro make me realize just how many flat tires I’ve had to deal with in my day to day life, not to mention all the uninflated soccer balls in the back of my car that I’ve been meaning to drop off at wherever they play soccer. And you get a second one for 50% off! I’m literally fighting not to call the 1-800 number and give them my credit card number right now.

Destiny World championship: Trent Seven v. Alex Hammerstone

Yo dawg I heard you liked steroids so I got you all the steroids. This is Hammerstone’s debut, in a World title match no less. I’m kind of shocked that Hammerstone hasn’t ended up in AEW as MJF’s heater by now, although he likely wouldn’t do well there anyway. Not sure why Trent didn’t catch on with AEW, even though he wasn’t super-impressive. Trent with a crossbody and a slam to set up the legdrop for two. Hammerstone puts him down with a spinebuster and Seven bails to escape and they fight on the floor, but Seven chops the post and Hammerstone suplexes him on the apron, THE HARDEST PART OF THE RING, as we take a break. More sexy singles action here, as I learn that I can meet hot local singles in either Vancouver or Toronto this time. For reference, this would be like someone in Chicago being invited to meet sexy local singles in, say, Las Vegas or Dallas. Back with Hammerstone beating on Seven with knees and a lengthy chinlock, but Seven fights out and sends him to the floor for a tope. Back in with a lariat for two, but Hammerstone hits him with his own beefy lariat for two. Trent catches him with the punch and a pumphandle slam for two. Trent goes up and Hammerstone slugs him down with an elbow and brings him down with a superplex and then rolls him into a powerbomb for two as we take another break. Actually Hammerstone looks like someone stuck him with a tire inflating gun and set it to 100 PSI. Back with Hammerstone trying for the finish, but Seven cradles for two. Hammerstone blocks a lariat and suplexes him into the corner. They fight to the top as I cringe every time they go to a wide view of the “arena” and it looks like they’re wrestling in a converted furniture storage warehouse. You gotta know your angles. Trent blocks a superplex and brings Hammerstone down with an Air Raid Crash, but Hammerstone suckers him out to the floor and powerbombs him onto the apron, and then follows with another powerbomb on the staging for good measure. So Hammerstone throws the dead body of Seven back in the ring, but that only gets two. Trent makes a comeback and accidentally bumps the ref, and then hits a Burning Hammer for a visual pinfall. He tries again and Hammerstone reverses him into his swinging facebuster, which gets two. Hammertone argues with the replacement ref and Seven cradles for two, but Hammerstone takes out his frustrations on the ref, and then hits Seven with the Nightmare Pendulum swinging slam to finish and win the World title at 23:55 in his debut match for the promotion. They got a little too overblown with the ref bumps and false finishes by the end, but this was a damn solid match with the big bully and underdog fighting from underneath story. ***1/2. Hammerstone in particular seemed like he was cosplaying as Cowboy Brock Lesnar for most of the match with his mannerisms and facials.

This was a pleasant and breezy hour of Canadian indie wrestling which I probably won’t ever bother watching again, but sometimes it’s nice to check out something different. And I learned all about sexy local singles in my area, if you count my area as being 3 hours away, and all about inflating your tires with a battery powered air compressor that looks like a Black & Decker power drill. If Hammerstone retains his current look he’ll probably get a shot with one of the big two, although WWE would obviously be the better fit for him.