The night of July 27, 2023, was one for the books as XPRO Wrestling’s 5th Aftershock event took center stage at the Von Braun Civic Center in Huntsville, Alabama. The air was thick with anticipation as wrestling enthusiasts filled the arena, eager to witness the first two rounds of a 16-wrestler tournament. The night promised high-octane wrestling action, and it did not disappoint.
Match 1: Seed #1 NeckBone Jones vs. Seed #16 Elgin Blair The evening kicked off with a clash between the top seed NeckBone Jones and the underdog Elgin Blair from SHOOT. Despite Blair’s valiant efforts, NeckBone Jones’ hardcore style and relentless assault proved too much for Blair. The match ended with Jones landing his signature THROAT PUNCH finisher, securing his victory.
Backstage Segment: Mark Bennett interviewed Elgin Blair post-match, who despite the loss, remained optimistic about his future in XPRO Wrestling.
Match 2: Seed #8 Scott Hunter vs. Seed #9 CICADA The second match saw Scott Hunter face off against CICADA. Hunter’s resilience and agility kept CICADA off balance, but CICADA’s strategic attacks turned the tide. The match reached its climax when CICADA executed a powerful slam, securing his victory.
Promo Segment: Allison Clark interviewed CICADA, who expressed his satisfaction with the win and his readiness to take on the next round and represent SHOOT in the tournament
Match 3: Seed #4 Lexi Gold vs. Seed #13 Alex Toushi In a thrilling encounter, Lexi Gold faced off against Alex Toushi. Gold’s technical prowess prevailed in the middle stages of the match. Despite Toushi’s best efforts, Gold executed her signature finisher, securing her victory.
Backstage Segment: Mark Bennett interviewed Lexi Gold, who confidently stated that she was just getting started and the best was yet to come as she became the second SHOOT Project wrestler to advance.
Match 4: Seed #5 Owen Wright vs. Seed #12 Scott Stevens The fourth match saw Owen “Bulldozer” Wright take on Scott Stevens. Wright, known for his power and aggression, dominated the early stages of the match. However, Stevens managed to turn the tide in the middle of the match and secured his victory with a beautiful DDT.
Promo Segment: Allison Clark interviewed Scott Stevens, who expressed his excitement about the win and his readiness for the next challenge.
Match 5: Seed #2 Drew Mitchell vs. Seed #15 Aaron Gray The fifth match saw Drew Mitchell face off against MVW’s Aaron Gray. Mitchell’s technical prowess and strength overpowered Gray, and he secured his victory with his signature finisher, the Tenchi Crush.
Backstage Segment: Mark Bennett interviewed Drew Mitchell, who confidently stated that he was ready to take on anyone in the tournament.
Match 6: Seed #7 Hugo Scorpio vs. Seed #10 Benny Newell The sixth match saw Hugo Scorpio take on Benny Newell. Scorpio showcased his resilience, weathering Newell’s onslaught and retaliating with his own set of offensive maneuvers. The match ended with Scorpio securing his victory.
Promo Segment: Allison Clark interviewed Hugo Scorpio, who expressed his satisfaction with the win and his readiness to take on the next round.
Match 7: Seed #3 Devin Skylar vs. Seed #14 Bobby Dean The seventh match saw Devin Skylar face off against sVo’s Bobby Dean, in his XPRO debut. Skylar’s technical skills controlled the early stages of the match. In the end, Skylar managed to catch Dean off guard and executed a stunning final move, securing his victory.
Backstage Segment: Mark Bennett interviewed Devin Skylar, who confidently stated that he was just getting started and the best was yet to come.
Match 8: Seed #6 The Game Boy vs. Seed #11 Kyle Driver The main event of the first round saw The Game Boy face off against Kyle Driver in a battle of powerhouses. The Game Boy’s raw power was on full display as he executed a series of powerful slams, including his signature Choke Slam, securing his victory.
Promo Segment: Allison Clark interviewed The Game Boy, who expressed his satisfaction with the win and his readiness to take on the next round.
The crowd was buzzing with excitement as the show headed to an intermission, setting the stage for the next round of the tournament.
After a brief intermission, the second round began. The stakes were higher, the matches longer, and the crowd even more invested. The winners of the first round faced off against each other in four grueling matches, each wrestler vying for a spot in the next stage of the tournament.
Match 9: #1 NeckBone Jones vs. #9 CICADA The first match of the second round saw NeckBone Jones face off against CICADA. The match was a thrilling back-and-forth, with both wrestlers showcasing their unique styles. Despite CICADA’s strategic attacks, NeckBone Jones’ hardcore style and relentless assault proved too much. After a grueling match, Jones landed his signature THROAT PUNCH finisher, securing his victory.
Backstage Segment: Mark Bennett interviewed NeckBone Jones, who expressed his satisfaction with the win and his readiness to take on the next round.
Match 10: #4 Lexi Gold vs. #12 Scott Stevens The second match of the round saw Lexi Gold face off against Scott Stevens. Gold’s technical prowess was on full display, but Stevens managed to turn the tide in the middle of the match with his strategic and calculated attacks. After a long and hard-fought match, Stevens secured his victory with a beautiful DDT.
Promo Segment: Allison Clark interviewed Scott Stevens, who expressed his excitement about the win and his readiness for the next challenge.
Match 11: #2 Drew Mitchell vs. #7 Hugo Scorpio The third match saw Drew Mitchell face off against Hugo Scorpio. Mitchell’s technical prowess and strength overpowered Scorpio in the early stages of the match. However, Scorpio showcased his resilience, weathering Mitchell’s onslaught and retaliating with his own set of offensive maneuvers. After a long and grueling match, Scorpio secured his victory.
Backstage Segment: Mark Bennett interviewed Hugo Scorpio, who expressed his satisfaction with the win and his readiness to take on the next round.
Match 12: #3 Devin Skylar vs. #6 The Game Boy The main event of the evening saw Devin Skylar face off against The Game Boy in a battle of technical skills versus raw power. Skylar’s technical skills controlled the early stages of the match, but The Game Boy’s raw power turned the tide. After a long and thrilling match, The Game Boy executed his signature Choke Slam, securing his victory.
The crowd, buzzing with excitement, left the arena already looking forward to the next event. The 5th Aftershock event was a testament to the spirit of XPRO Wrestling, setting the stage for more thrilling matches to come on the next show which will feature the culmination of the Great Lakes Championship tournament.