The best of the best at PWR Wrevolution X

MANILA, Philippines – Wrestling companies worldwide hold one grand show per year to celebrate and culminate the 365 days of each wrestler’s hard work inside the squared-circle.

World Wrestling Entertainment has its once-a-year spectacle known as “WrestleMania,” which is held between mid-March to early April.

The now-defunct World Championship Wrestling had its flagship affair “Starrcade” during the last quarter of the year, while Total Non-Stop Action Wrestling hosts “Bound For Glory” every October.

In Asia, New Japan Pro Wrestling stages a traditional January 4 show at the 55,000-capacity Tokyo Dome to spearhead “Wrestle Kingdom.”

May 23, 2015 saw Philippine Wrestling Revolution entrenching its status as the premier wrestling promotion in the country by holding its biggest event dubbed as “Wrevolution X.”

The organization has come a long way from testing the waters with its pilot show at a local Parañaque City fitness gym a year ago to the larger venue Makati Cinema Square Arena that accommodated a few hundred fans.

Rappler gives a list of stark moments that took place at Wrevolution X and its outstanding performers.

Top 3 matches

3. Ralph Imabayashi vs. John Sebastian II

It was sadly noted at last February’s PWR: Vendetta that the chemistry of both men failed to translate to the audience, resulting in a lull midway through their first encounter. But the rematch between Ralph Imabayashi and John Sebastian proved otherwise.

Imabayashi was in the driver’s seat early on, unleashing different variations of foot-strikes from a spinning roundhouse kick to a well-executed drop kick.

Although Imabayashi almost had the three-count with his jumping cutter, Sebastian managed to avenge his loss to the Filipino-Japanese with his “Bullet to the Brain” finisher. 

2. PWR championship between Bombay Suarez and Jake De Leon

Putting two top in-ring performers in the squared-circle guarantees fireworks, which was exactly what occurred when “The Senyorito” Jake De Leon locked horns with Bombay Suarez.

Both men are two of the most versatile wrestlers in the PWR roster because they can execute intense slams and carry out aerial offenses.

De Leon flaunted his cat-like reflexes early on, plunging Suarez with a drop kick and then performing his patented cartwheel splash.

Suarez returned the favor with a one-handed bulldog before he punctuated with a big leg drop.

The backyard wrestling legend almost had the pin-fall when he scored a thunderous swinging neckbreaker, but De Leon shifted the momentum back on his side with a running senton and a corner cannonball senton.

Although Suarez was able to flatten his opponent with his flying head-scissors, De Leon surprised him with a superkick and then followed up with a rolling thunder.

Suarez and De Leon eventually would take the action outside the ring, where “The Senyorito” accidentally delivered a superkick to referee Matt Roxas that dropped him cold.

Suarez did not notice that the referee was out when he sprayed the red mist and clobbered his signature enziguri to get the victory.

When the referee recovered, De Leon was back on his feet and lifted Suarez for the Alipin Drop to get the 1-2-3, becoming the first PWR champion in the process. 

1. Submission match between Chris Panzer and Ken Warren

The submission match between Chris Panzer and Ken Warren made it to the top of the list as both competitors were technically masterful but neither eclipsed the other.

Clearly, all ingredients were perfectly brewed to for an excellent match, which gave the excellent finale to the rivalry.

Knowing that he had to place himself on the winning track once more after yielding to Jake De Leon this past February, Panzer mounted an in-your-face assault on Warren, punishing “The Social Media Sinister” with a surfboard submission and an ankle lock.

Warren answered back with a pair of guillotine chokes, but Panzer turned the tables once more and worked on his foe’s limb with an armbar.

The brash Warren thought that the match was over when he smacked his Wi-Fi finisher, sending Panzer to the canvas and calling for the ringside officials’ attention to ring the bell and announce his name as the winner.

However, Panzer regained his cognizance and had enough strength to surprise Warren with the Panzerschreck.

The Filipino-American wrestler wrote the final sentence in the story when he forced Panzer to tap with a gogoplata.

Honorable mention: Last Man Standing match between The Apocalypse and Main Maxx

Top 3 performers

3. Ralph Imabayashi

Ralph Imabayashi may have been considered as a dark horse at Wrevolution X by being slated in the midcard, but he made sure that he would stand out.

His 5-foot-5 frame did not impede him from dancing with the big guys, employing his pesky speed and mixing in hard-hitting martial arts strikes.

Imabayashi has a small-but-terrible attitude inside the ring as he shocked everyone when he scooped John Sebastian for a bodyslam and pummeled his opponent with numerous European uppercuts.

2. Chris Panzer

In the past reviews, Chris Panzer has always been obscured by either Ken Warren or Jake De Leon, but at Wrevolution X, he declared his defined presence in the promotion. 

Almost everything went perfect for Panzer, especially his top-rope elbow dive, execution of his submission holds, and the fluidity with which he translated his moves in the ring to the audience.

Panzer’s impressive performance would qualified him for a midcard title if there was one.

1. Jake De Leon

If a flag-bearer would be chosen for PWR, Jake De Leon would be the perfect choice as he epitomizes the total package superstar and impeccably executes every maneuver without missing a step.

Using the teacher versus student storyline with Bombay Suarez, De Leon has indeed surpassed his mentor in outstanding performance.

Honorable mention: Main Maxx and Ken Warren

Best tag team: Fighters 4 Hire

The evening had only one tag team match, but it featured three groups. Among the three, Fighters 4 Hire stood out due to the in-ring chemistry that Miguel Rosales and Joey Bax offer as a pair.

Rosales and Bax’s double-team attacks and playing with the tag team rules were gracefully executed at Wrevolution X.

Slam of the Night

Bryan Leo’s belly-to-back inverted mat slam known as “Royal Flushdown” made Jake De Leon’s reign short-live and earned him the PWR championship.

Leo likewise utilized his finisher against Mayhem Brannigan in their Iron Man match, but it was not enough to put the masked crowd-favorite away.

Submission of the Night

“Classical” Bryan Leo introduced a new submission hold known as “The Fold,” which is an inverted cloverleaf with body-scissors.

In Japanese wrestling, the move is often referred as Gorilla Clutch, which is used by Shuji Kondo.

Leo won the Iron Man match with Mayhem Brannigan by using The Fold.

Aside from the aforementioned submission hold, Leo also uses the figure four leglock and the Indian deathlock.

Top five OMG moments

5. Bryan Leo’s owns the fans’ moms

“Classical” Bryan Leo is recognized for preaching everything that is wrong about living in a third-world nation, but he took it to another level at Wrevolution X.

Leo owned the crowd like a brash champion that he is. When the audience chided “You Suck,” he retorted “Yes, I suck just like all your mothers in Burgos street.” 

Philippine wrestler "Classical" Bryan Leo delivers best retort to "You suck" chants at @pwrofficial #WrevolutionX pic.twitter.com/LViF5KVz4m

— Ryan Songalia (@ryansongalia) May 23, 2015

4. Brannigan Brigade

Everyone thought that Mayhem Brannigan was a one-man army, but he flabbergasted many at Wrevolution X when he brought a masked posse that were equally rowdy as himself.

Brannigan entered the arena with his raucous friends with clanging chain in tow and apparently ready to cause a riot.

3. Super kick to Matt Roxas

When Bombay Suarez and Jake De Leon took the action outside the ring and were about to be counted out, referee Matt Roxas intervened and stopped the count at nine because he felt the match needed a winner.

As he commanded both men to get back inside the squared-circle, the referee received a deafening superkick from De Leon that eventually played a pivotal factor for “The Senyorito” in winning the PWR belt against Suarez.

2. JDL counters Bombay’s flying head scissors

Bombay Suarez is famous for his trademark spinning head-scissors takedown, but Jake De Leon unexpectedly bounced off the move with a cartwheel, warranting a standing ovation and a “This is wrestling!” chant from the people in attendance.

1. Bryan Leo winning the PWR championship

The biggest surprise of the night was when Bryan Leo redeemed his reward from PWR general manager Mr. Sy.

With Leo’s victory over Mayhem Brannigan in their Iron Man match, he earned a PWR title match anytime he wanted, allowing him to spoil Jake De Leon’s championship-winning party.

Leo pounced on the exhausted De Leon with his Royal Flushdown finisher to capture PWR’s prestigious top prize. – Rappler.com