PP: I have to admit this is probably the first time I ever had an 11:30am start for a wrestling show that isn't three states away, but then again I can't remember anyone around here ever running 2pm shows before. This is something new from JAPW... my guess is that they're doing it so their crew can pick up a second booking that night. I make amazing time as it takes me just under 50 minutes from uptown Manhattan to the Bayonne light rail terminus, which allows me to bump around the neighborhood a bit before I finally pile into the Hall. Sugaa Boy from the Woodbridge show has made the trip from Allentown in a highly disturbing bit of news. Ray shows up and I pass him the Manami Toyota mangas while chatting up occasional poster and fellow ESC-er Sabre Mike. Buck Woodward rolls in wearing a Far East Connection shirt in XL and Ray and I weep bitter tears of the shamed puro fanboy. Before the show starts the locker room empties and they give us a 10-count for the Sheik (after the ring announcer checks with Buck for the proper pronunciation of "Farhat"). There's maybe 100 people in attendance at bell-time... not really a surprise as I expected a smaller house due to the new starting time.

RD: The new time takes some adjustment. It's a different kind of poison. Rolling in to your house at 2am and dealing with late night transit schedules or having to get up early in the morning. Actually, it's not that bad, it also opens up the evenings for stuff. The manga's are kind of funny. Like Bull Nakano's hair ends up getting it's own panel. I'm not making that up. You also can identify Akira Hokuto because she's the one in a drawing who's got the neck that shatters like glass in one drawing. It's a small crowd and also pretty subdued, I guess not everyone's awake or liquored up yet.

MATCH 1: EXPLOSIVE EDDIE THOMAS vs. CORVIS FEAR (w/Church)
PP: Again, Corbin Fear is the repackaged Roach. Church has a pretty good look and I'm not sure why they're sticking him with a glorified student. Fear wins with a modified powerbomb after Church interferes and they give him a beatdown postmatch. Eddie's bro Miles (who ominously has not been used by JAPW ever since the December show where Lou bent him backwards 90 degrees) is hanging out by the merch table and we start yelling at him to make the save, but he begs off in an "I'm not booked" fashion. This was OK from what I remember of it, but to be honest I was more interested in Buck's pal who'd brought TWO giant binders filled with pictures he'd taken on Mayfield's Japan tour. Sakura Hirota working a bear costume-bedecked Fang Suzuki is an early candidate for bizarro visual of the year.

RD: Actually, we got a correction on Roach's new name, it's actually Corvis. This was OK, though I was also falling victim to the giant folders of pictures from time to time. I'm not exactly sure if Church has worked the area before. He's bigger than the average indy guy build wise. Considering I've only seen him beat up on Eddie Thomas, I will reserve judgement on if he can wrestle or not. But he does a good job of throwing around Eddie and he does have the great vest. I think Fear won with the Frog Splash from the second rope which resulted in someone, I think Mike Johnson joking that it was the Tadpole Splash. And it must have been an uncomfortable holiday season for Miles not to have saved his brother. Maybe Eddie bought him socks for Christmas.

PP: Between this match and the next one they actually debut a promo segment ala the old studio wrestling shows as Fat Frank (think "World's most slovenly Freddie Miller") interviews Mafia on the side wall about the tag title match against DRS. Endless jokes are made by me, Ray, Buck and Mike Johnson as we all start belting out every studio theme we can think of.

RD: All I know is that JAPW should totally steal the old TBS/NWA starscape event center graphics and music. That would make it my favorite TV program ever whenever it shows up on my cable system.

MATCH 2: DIXIE/DERANGED vs. INSANE DRAGON/TONY LAZARO
PP: This match got set up off the Woodbridge post-show festivities where Deranged allegedly got into a fight with Tony Lazaro's girlfriend. Turns out they worked everyone on the fight to set this match up (and actually did a very good job as everyone bought into it). Lazaro's back as a face which marks something like the fourth time he's switched sides since we started watching him. He and Dragon work together fine including a hot double-dive at the start of the match (Lazaro of course toasting himself on the guardrails... it wouldn't be a Lazaro match if he didn't die in some fashion). Finish has Lazaro hitting his stretch bomb on Dixie while Dragon hits a Liger bomb into a dial cradle on Deranged... only for Lazaro to turn on Dragon with a dropkick to the face as he tries to pin Deranged. With the triple team in full effect Deranged hits the hi-speed sunset flip on Dragon and gets the pin. DRS come out with Becky Bayless afterwards for a promo segment of their own, and I could totally see them cutting promos like this on an actual studio show. "Jersey All-Pro Wrestling coming to Bayonne, Bayonne, Woodbridge and Bayonne! Tickets available at Ticketron and your local G.I. Joe's."

RD: Actually, Deranged explained that everyone thought the girl was Lazaro's girlfriend, when it was actually his sister. He then taunts him with the fact he has a tape of what he did with her later on. Lazaro and Dragon play unwilling partners. Well... Lazaro plays the unwilling partner as he's more or less out to beat up Deranged and Dragon's more or less along for the ride. I bust on Dixie about his pants, which sort of like pajama pants asking him if he just woke up. He then threatens me with an extended head lock. Like taking it to the mat is going to effect my enjoyment of the match. Lazaro decides to restart the streak of killing himself with the big landing on the railing. Once Lazaro and Dragon start working together, it's only a matter of time before Lazaro turns and he does. Aparrently Tony has no problem with Deranged filming his exploits with his sister.

MATCH 3: NICK BERK vs. ROB ECHOS
PP: Berk makes his return to the Hall after something like a three year absence (he was supposed to come back at the Russ Haas show last year only for Frank to pull him so as not to get him in any trouble with Zandig during one of the JAPW/CZW flareups). Berk's return leads to one of the weirdest things I've ever seen from a wrestling standpoint as some CZW fans have made the trip, including one fan at ringside in an ECW hat... and an XPW shirt... chanting "CZW..." at a JAPW show. This is basically a squash for Berk who eventually cashiers Echos ("Echos, Echos, Echos...") with a modified Texas Cloverleaf he calls the Texas 2K2. Sadly he doesn't whip out the much-cooler Berkoset (corkscrew Pedigree). He gets some promo time later on and promises to stick around for awhile.

RD: Aside from various Echo jokes, including the manaditory "Pinch hitting for Pedro Barbone... Manny.. Mota... mota... mota...", Echos didn't really do anything that really stuck out in my mind. This was each as Pete mentioned, Berk has some really neat offense that he didn't really use. eh.

MATCH 4: JAPW TV Title vs. JAPW Light-Heavyweight Title: JAY LETHAL vs. RAIN
PP: Another fun match between these two, although it's interesting to see how they've evolved from the first time we saw them work each other. Lethal's gone the Benoit route in that he's concentrated more on matwork and technical stuff while Rain's gone the RVD-style highspot route... with all that entails. To wit, there's one sequence where Rain sets Lethal in the tree of woe and dropkicks him in the face... after a) running to the opposite corner, b) doing a rolling senton off the top rope, c) running to Jay's corner, d) hitting a standing moonsault off the top, and e) FINALLY hitting the dropkick. This is NOT a move that requires a five-step process. Rain hits Lethal with his Dragon suplex and goes for the pin when Dixie, Deranged and Lazaro bum-rush the ring and attack both guys for the no-contest. Insane Dragon makes the save and Lethal/Rain hug and make up afterwards... this could lead to a fun little feud.

RD: Rain's really agile and can do some amazing stuff... but he's also not afraid to do really goofy shit. The world's most elaborate drop kick the face was "The Worm" level in annoying. This was fun. Both guys worked each other, they teased each other's big finishers. Both hit some new spots. The Rain got in his really neat handspring 450. The run in sort of leads to a reunion of the MidCard Express, who I think can have fun tag matches with Dixie and Deranged (or as I like to call them, Youth Gone Wasted) and probably with the DRS.

MATCH 5: JAPW Tag Team Titles: MAFIA (C) (w/Monsta Mack & Johnny D) vs. DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELZ (KC Blade & EC Negro, w/Becky Bayless)
PP: Monsta's still out with the broken foot so Mafia goes it alone here. Nevertheless he surprisingly dominates most of the match including his move where he crushes Blade with the bodyblock into the corner. DRS take control here and there but most of the match is them disentegrating for Mafia. Becky tries to interfere at the finish; Mafia intercepts and goes for the Burning Hammer when someone in a Scorpio Jr. mask runs out and nuts him from behind while the ref is distracted. Blade oozes in and rolls up Mafia for the title switch - NEW HEROES! Monsta Mack comes back and demands a rematch: "When's the next show? February 22!" pause "We're booked." Big-ass laugh for that. Eventually all parties come to terms for a rematch at the next Woodbridge show.

RD: I'm not sure if this was really domination. The DRS eat a lot of hot death in this as they tend to do always. I think though they also did a good job of not making it too one sided as the DRS as individuals can't seem to match up to Mafia, but as a team they can and they use a bunch of double teams to soft of make it a little more one sided. Becky hits the world's worst low blow which results in the teased Burning Hammer for her before the mysterious masked man does the run in. I'm hoping they keep the belts on the DRS for a bit as they're a little more vulnerable as tags and they can have some interesting matches with them before they eventually put the belts on the Hit Squad again.

MATCH 6: CHRIS CASH vs. JOSH DANIELS
PP: The CZW invasion continues as CZW young'un Cash makes his Bayonne debut. To show you how much CZW I watch, I thought Ric Blade had come back before he was introduced. I hit the facilities at the start of this only to bump into Chris Hamrick on the way out... I love indy wrestling. Daniels eventually goes over with a German suplex in an OK match that probably should've gone on an hour earlier. Dixie, Deranged and Lazaro come out for a promo afterwards, where they announce their new group's name: LOS GRINGOS LOCOS! We have just enough time to picture them in stars-n-stripes outfits and giant mullets when they call us morons and say that they're really going to be called the "H" Effect. This was probably not the smartest thing to announce in front of a live crowd as it results in a giant "Homos!" chant breaking out and the flustered heels make their escape. By this time I'm really digging the studio concept as it allows these guys to get their style over in front of a live audience who can react to them. Now if only their TV was on in Manhattan...

RD: At this point, it was like JAPW had been turned into DDT card with a special battle between Eagle Pro vs. ZIPANG undercard guys with CZW being represented by Cash and I think 3PW by Daniels. This was kind of there. Cash tries to work the fans, doesn't really get much of a reaction. The studio interview was good with the new H Effect. This as a six man could be fun as Dixie and Deranged are good rudos. The group name was really begging to be busted on and they got what they were asking for.

MATCH 7: Bayonne Streetfight: LOWLIFE LOUIE RAMOS vs. ?
PP: Originally Louie was supposed to face Balls Mahoney, who was a no-show... my guess is he didn't realize it was an afternoon show. Frank had offered refunds earlier, not that it would've mattered as this is essentially the same core of fans he always gets. Louie comes out, buries Balls a bit and puts out an open challenge to anyone in attendance. Rick Silver, Jay Lover and Foo-Foo (who are actually in attendance) quickly get kiboshed before Louie calls out Suba (who's been hanging out with Magic at the same table as Miles Thomas). Suba quickly "Shoes!" into action and it's on like neckbone. Although Bayonne has banned the blade, that hasn't stopped Louie from bringing a large board into the ring with about a dozen mousetraps laid on top of it and setting it atop two chairs like a table; at one point Suba takes a bump in the ring and the reverberations lead to the mousetraps going off by themselves. HIGH COMEDY~! Suba eventually wins after very gently laying Louie on the board and splashing him through it. This had its moments, all of which came before the match proper actually started.

RD: I think they announced Ramos as "Louis" and I joke that Ramos must have joined the York Foundation. It was fun as we all took turns nominating people for Louie to fight between the old JAPW guys (Foo Foo, Rick Silver) and Buck Woodward before Louie called out Suba. The traps going off on their own was funny, though not as funny as the bump Louie took onto them. Given the trap board was suspended between 4 chairs and didn't look too sturdy, Suba punches Louie and Louie sort of gets tired and feels it would be good to "gently" lay on the board as not to smash it before Suba puts him through the board with a second rope splash puts him through the board. Post match, Louie offers Suba a handshake and Suba lays him out until Magic eventually retreives Suba.

MATCH 8: JAPW Heavyweight Title: HOMICIDE (C) vs. CHRIS HAMRICK
PP: The match loses several dozen stars right away as Hamrick comes out to Jackyl's "Down On Me;" we were hoping for the Dukes of Hazard theme. This is really fun in a "studio main event" kind of way as Homicide and Hamrick spend the early portion on the mat before taking each other out with a stereo something-or-other. Hamrick takes over the middle portion with Southern hijinks ("Ki'mon Homisahd!"), eventually draping Homicide over the middle ropes and trying to hit something. Homicide moves at the last second and Hamrick takes his federally- mandated Bump of The Insane to the floor; Homicide follows with his crazy tope. Hamrick goes back on the attack before Homicide reverses something into the Cop Killer and gets the pin to retain from out of nowhere. He continues to work over Hamrick until DHS come out to calm him down. Homicide: "That old motherfucker hurt me!" Hamrick steals Homicide's bandana and marches out over Homicide's protests of "You ain't no Puerto Rican!" and doing a big Q Dog pose at the curtain to bust up the audience. With Hamrick gone, Monsta sets up a match between Mafia and Homicide at the next show under the idea that Mafia's the only guy between him, Monsta and Low-Ki who hasn't had the singles match with their trainer Homicide. Apparently that will be the first match on the 2/22 show so DHS can make their "booking" (for ECWA, as Monsta helpfully informs us).

RD: After hearing about Hamrick using the Dukes of Hazzard theme at PWF show, I was hoping to see the outfit, I was especially hoping for it as when he was walking around prior to the show, he was wearing an outfit that looked like he had skinned the General Lee for it. Hamrick was having a good time figuring out how many different ways he could flip off Hansen doing the pre-match check for objects and during various points of the match. Hamrick pulled off a few low kicks during the match and with his shiny pants he got great sound on it when he'd slap his leg. He caught Homicide trying to a leap over in the corner with the kick and split the uprights with Homicide yelling "AWWWW MOTHERFUCKER!" Hamrick's crazy bump to the floor was on a missed drop kick attempt while Homicide was in or by the ropes. The tope on hilo was even more insane as it was to the side of the buiding where the lockers are and the both of them smashed into it on the move. Hamrick I think chained his gordbuster to the knee and his vertical suplex into a stunner for a near fall. Eventually, Homicide hits the Cop Killa for the win. This was a fun match, slightly hurt by the lack of heat. Hamrick was a lot of fun and I hope they continue to bring him in. Mafia v. Homicide could be good. It was funny as Monsta was setting it up. "Look, I got my scars from the match. Low Ki got his scars. A lot of people have their scars, but you don't have them."

PP: This was a fine little show with an interesting concept... more to the point, this was one of the fastest indy shows I've ever seen as it took maybe 2:30 from start to finish. I dug it a bunch. Dinner at Arthur's in Hoboken (home of the 48-ounce steak) was originally on the agenda, but I take a raincheck so I can absolutely gorge myself with food at Churrascaria Plataforma (the dreaded BRAZILIAN STEAKHOUSE~!) for a family friend's birthday that night.

RD: The show moved right a long and it was neat to see them do the studio interviews on the side of the building. I'm not sure how the crowd will come across on tv. The crowd didn't seem like it was all that hot, especially compared to the crowd they had at the Woodbridge show, but still I had a pretty good time.