Beyond the Horizon #14
January 24th
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Good afternoon Dear Readers. I'm back with another edition of Beyond the Horizon, this time we're discussing all things Last Grasp of Reality. I think it's a fitting name for this show, there are many things that a lot of people are going to have to come to terms with the reality of tonight.
Before I get into that though, first let me wish a very happy birthday to one of my best friends, Kennedy Street. She's been killing it in Hollywood over the last year and I couldn't be more proud of her.
Secondly, it was great to have Jason back on the road with Breakdown, even though he isn't cleared yet. Would have liked being told before getting to the arena, but Jason does love his surprises. SCW is always more fun when he's around, in any capacity.
And finally, I'd like to wish a full and quick recovery to both Kelcey Wallace and Sienna Swann following the accident at Breakdown a little over a week ago. I realize a lot of people are going to lay blame at one or the other, make claims about what may or may not be deserved, but at the end of the day they are both human beings who don't deserve to be injured, and I wish them both well. I'm told we will have updates on both of them later tonight.
Now then. We have a show tonight, and it's a stacked one. So stacked in fact that quite a few big names will be watching from the sidelines, yet the card doesn't feel lacking. That's a testament to the star power and talent level SCW brings to the business. So let's get to that card, shall we?
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Unsanctioned Falls Count Anywhere Butt Stapling Match
Unsanctioned Championship
Kimberly Williams vs. Datura
While I realize this match was suggested by one of these women and enthusiastically accepted by the other, I think they both deserve better than this. I have no winner prediction I just hope no one is hurt.
Cid Turner vs. Chad Evans
Chad Evans is a bastard. He's egotistical, abusive, brutal, and.... insert your own negative characteristic here. It's probably true. Cid Turner has done a great job with this comeback teaming with Asher Hayes and he doesn't deserve any of the garbage Chad has spouted at him. I hope Cid can find it in himself to stand up to him and put him down. We all know he can do it... Cid just has to believe in himself.
Asher Hayes vs. Tommy Valentine
Speaking of Asher Hayes, he has quite the fight ahead of him here, up against Tommy Valentine. The two of them have traded cheap shots and sneak attacks going back months. It comes to a head tonight where they will meet one on one. Asher blames Tommy for costing him the Adrenaline Championship when he faced Glory Braddock in a Title vs Title match. Tommy just seems to want attention, he and his girlfriend Kandis have been unhappy with their place lately and chose Asher as his target. We've all seen what Tommy can do when he is motivated and angry. But Asher is not a pushover. He's at his best when he has something to fight for. A championship, or justice. I'm giving the nod to Asher.
Doom & Groove vs. The Light in the Darkness
Tag Tournament winners from last year Doom & Groove face SCWs newest tag team signing. Both are established teams, but I will go with Doom & Groove, we have seen they can perform under pressure. Light in the Darkness are an unknown quantity in their first SCW pay per view showing.
Kandis vs. Peyton Rice
Kandis is another competitor who has been on a rampage lately, just as displeased with her place as her boyfriend Tommy Valentine is. She's been in a whole different mood than we were used to seeing after Under Attack, where she and Peyton went the distance in the Elimination Chamber, yet Kandis fell short. She's vowed to 'stay angry' and has taken that anger out on long-time rival Peyton Rice. The two crossed paths in Emerge first, and to date, Kandis has only come out on top over Peyton once, in a tag match in Emerge. Every singles match and the Chamber has gone in Peyton's favor. Kandis is looking to prove she can overcome Peyton, and Peyton wants to continue to show that doing things the right way pays off. I have to go on history here, everyone has that one person they can't figure out, they can't beat. And I think for Kandis, Peyton is that person.
Tag League Match
Owen Cruze & Aaron Blackbourne vs. The Golden Boys
This Tag League match has no bearing on the outcome of the league, the semi-finals have been determined All that's on the line here is pride, and as we know, Owen Cruze and Aaron Blackbourne have a lot of it. They refused to back down when facing A/C Unit, knowing that if they won, their rivals Bree Lancaster and Sienna Swann would go straight to the finals. They didn't win, but their determination to always fight hard has to be admired. I expect nothing less here against Adam Allocco and Bison Jones. The Golden Boys don't seem to care much for the sport or the spirit of competition, and up against two men who that means everything to, I believe they are going to falter.
SCW Television Championship
Television Championship Tournament Finals
Ricky James vs. Kelsai Adamson-Mason
I usually try to not let my personal bias affect these analysis and predictions, but in this case I can't help it. Ricky James is just irritating and Kelsai is my client. Of course I want to see her win and become Television Champion one more time. I believe she can do it, as long as James doesn't get any outside help from his.... assistant? Press secretary? Whatever Lucy is. I will be at ringside and I will do my best to make sure this one goes down legit.
SCW United States Championship Contendership Match
Gavin Taylor vs. Katie Steward vs. Polly Playtime vs. Holly Adams
Multi-person matches can be hard to predict, as there are a lot of moving parts. Alliances can be made and broken just in the span of the match. In this case though I think it's a little easier. While it can be said that every person in this match seems to care more about their image than actually fighting, as of late we have seen only one of them do actual fighting, and that is Gavin Taylor. He's been Adrenaline Champion in recent memory and he'll want to get a shot at another championship to add to his resume of accolades. He can easily pit the other three against each other and take advantage.
SCW Adrenaline Championship
Dylan Howell vs. Shilo Valiant vs. Glory Braddock
Glory Braddock has silenced a lot of doubters in her reign as Adrenaline Champion thus far. Now she faces two men who want to take that championship away from her. Shilo Valiant makes his return to chasing gold after being done with Aaron Blackbourne. And Dylan Howell... well, we all know about his love and devotion to Addy. There isn't anything that man wouldn't do to get his beloved back, and for that reason I am going to go with the upset by Howell, I expect by very unconventional means.
Infamous Banned From Ringside
James Evans vs. Syren
This has been brewing for a long time, over a year if you want to count Under Attack 2019 where James Evans cut the chains and caused Syren to be injured. Syren then paid him back by injuring James' knee at Cold Blooded, she says facilitating his World Championship loss to Bree Lancaster. Since he's returned, they've face off, had altercations, James has been made to face almost every member of Infamous in order to get to Syren. Now he's got her, and Infamous has been banned from ringside. But we know that with Syren, and her manager CHBK, there is always something planned, and James is going to need his head on a swivel to ensure that nothing and no one interferes, despite the Infamous ban. I have a gut feeling that we won't get a decision here, both of them are too angry and too volatile for that.
The Piledriver is Legal
Blake Mason vs. Giovanni Aries
In most cases, I don't want to see people get hurt. That's well known about me, I even said so in the opening to this blog in reference to Sienna Swann. But there are exceptions to everything. Giovanni Aries has terrorizes half of the SCW roster, including but not limited to – Selena Frost, Bree Lancaster, Jason Helms, Owen Cruze, and Kelcey Wallace. It could be said that he is to blame, at least in part, for the accident at the last Breakdown. If ever there was a match for the piledriver ban to be lifted... this is the match. Blake Mason has a violent streak, everyone knows it – I've been subject to it myself in the past. If he sets his mind on destroying someone, there is usually little that someone can do to prevent it. It doesn't matter who the recorded winner will be, who gets a pin or submission or DQ... if Blake gets a chance to drop Aries on his head and completes it? That's a win in my book. Yes, my bias is showing. No, I don't care.
SCW United States Championship
Regan Street vs. Xander Valentine
This is another match happening tonight that has been brewing for quite some time. Xander Valentine has made himself a part of Regan Street's life for the better part of the last year. He wanted her respect, then he wanted to team with her to get access to facing Tommy Valentine, now they want to tear each other apart, all with the United States Championship on the line. Regan is a former United States Champion, she had a lengthy reign, so I don't think that's her motivation here. Regan will want to prove herself against the monster, she has a never-say-die streak and woe to anyone who doesn't take her seriously. Xander on the other hand, is just plain dangerous. His motivation is always to maim, to destroy, and he's very good at it. He's been wanting this match for a long time, the first one was tainted in his eyes by interference. I don't think he's going to let anything or anyone stop him from the result he wants this time.
SCW World Championship Unification Match
Bree Lancaster vs. David Helms
Our main event has also been a long time in the making. David Helms defeated Bree Lancaster for the World Championship at Rise to Greatness. In October, she was meant to get her rematch in a Three Way Dance also involving Tommy Valentine. Unfortunately. David was forced to step back due to injury and vacate the championship. The match then became Bree versus Tommy, which Bree won. She has not taken kindly to the Interim tag, claiming she is the “True” World Champion, because David gave it up. David meanwhile, never actually lost it, and SCW rules state that a World Champion remains champion while out with injury, even if another champion is crowned. Both arguments have support. There are also a lot of personal issues wound up in this that I am not going to get into out of respect for everyone involved. Bree has consistency on her side – she has been working and fighting the whole time David has been recovering. David has experience on his side – he's already beaten Bree once and he is a 20+ year veteran of the sport. The issue will be decided tonight, what wins out – experience or consistency? I think Bree will have watched the Rise to Greatness match repeatedly looking for spots where she went wrong, and she will have learned how to compensate for it. Bree can win this, if she can stay focused and not let her emotions take over. If David can force her to lose her cool, though, we'll see a repeat of Rise to Greatness.
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There you have it, Dear Readers. My thoughts and predictions for tonight's SCW pay per view, Last Grasp of Reality, which will be live tonight from Denver. You know you want to watch! Stay safe, and always be brave.
~ Amy Chastaine