REVIEW: Catch Pro Wrestling - Monday Night Catch
Catch Pro Wrestling: Monday Night Catch Pro
The Bread Shed, Manchester
Monday, December 6, 2021
Reviewer: Matthew Laurillard (@matmagazineuk)
Credit: Catch Pro Wrestling
The final CATCH show of the year gives a very strong young company a chance to end things on a high, and they certainly delivered on that.
The Bread Shed has a great atmosphere for shows and the venue has served CATCH well in building their growing reputation. As has been the case with all the Bread Shed shows the evening was compered by Mark Adams, who’s affable presence adds plenty to shows, as ring announcer or on commentary.
The CR3W (Jack Knudsen, James Grayson & Benjamin Harland) vs Aiton Steen, Dave Birch & Big T
Credit: Catch Pro Wrestling
Our pre-show match, mainly because it’s going out on YouTube as a taster, featured five rapid cruiserweights and a legitimately colossal human in Big T.
Enjoyable action between everyone, the smaller guys working together was a treat of speedy action but there is always something so morbidly fascinating about watching smaller guys bounce off a giant.
T is more athletic than he first appears and it was definitely an enjoyable site watching him throw his opponents around. Eventually he would also attack his own teammates and win the match essentially single handed.
A fun way to kick off the night and a showcase for some very talented young men, particularly as it was my first time seeing Steen and Birch in action.
Kicked off the show proper with Tom Thelwell’s championship celebration. This took its time with contributions from Danny Proper, Isiah Quinn (who was banished from Thelwell’s side by the new champion) and an interrupting number one contender Scotty Rawk.
Everyone held up their part though and the cake that had dominated the build up to the show on social media came into play.
The site of Danny Proper throwing Jaffa cakes at unsuspecting crowd members was certainly not something most people would have expected coming into the show.
There were one or two poorly timed interruptions from shouting fans that threw the rhythm of the segment off but the wrestlers dealt with it well, annoying as it must have been.
Scotty Rawk vs Brady Phillips
Credit: Catch Pro Wrestling
The opening segment bled into our first match as Scotty Rawk stayed in the ring to face off against Brady Phillips, who, in this writers opinion at least, has been quietly carving out a reputation for consistently great matches.
These two put on a really enjoyable back and forth contest as Rawk tried to use his speed to fight back against the power advantage of Phillips.
A couple of Phillips’ always impressive Swanton’s weren’t enough to give the victory as Rawk won and heads into 2022 as a big threat to the CATCHWeight title and Tom Thelwell.
Kid Lykos vs Rhio
Credit: Catch Pro Wrestling
Two mainstays of the UK indie scene who have stood across the ring in multi person matches a few times recently and a one on one match between them seemed inevitable at some point.
And they delivered on their promise with a well put together match that included North West Strong in Rhio’s corner and Kid Lykos II in Lykos’.
Both could have won this but it was the always improving Rhio that picked up the win to further her continued rise.
Oberman/Kessler/Kayman vs Dynamite Lee, Chris Egan & Big Guns Joe
Credit: Catch Pro Wrestling
The second half kicks off with another all action six man tag match, this time pitting the motley crew of Dynamite Lee, Chris Egan and Big Guns Joe against North West Strong’s Scott Oberman and Joe Kessler, along with the sort-of self-appointed kind-of member, Myles Kayman.
And it was Kayman who was the most exciting part of the match, solely due to his continued attempts to ingratiate himself with North West Strong.
His comedic attempts at smooth technical wrestling were cleverly well executed but the most memorable part was his failed attempt to write NWS on his own back.
Everyone else in the match added something to another fun match, won by the trio of Dynamite Lee, Chris Egan and Big Guns Joe.
Kid Lykos II vs Jesse Wolfe
Credit: Catch Pro Wrestling
The long running story of Kid Lykos II and his clashes with the Heritage have continued since before he was Kid Lykos II, going all the way back to the first every CATCH show and the Heritage’s attack on the then Joe Nelson.
And so it made sense for Lykos II to get a singles shot against the man who cost his team their last match with the Heritage, Jesse Wolfe.
Plenty of chemistry between these two as they showed off some solid technical chops and a mixture of hard strikes and speedy high flying. Lykos II won the match to get his stolen trophy back but there are definitely still legs in this feud.
Chris Ridgeway vs Tu Byt
Credit: Catch Pro Wrestling
The Monday night CATCH Bread Shed shows have quickly built a solid back catalogue of amazing main events, especially featuring Chris Ridgeway.
And this was just that. Ridgeway is one of the most consistently high quality match machines in UK Wrestling but it was Tu Byt who came out this match elevated to another level.
By the end of the match there were large sections of the crowd who had been booing him at the beginning who were now disappointed Tu Byt didn’t win.
That alone is a credit to the man, who showed so much heart and fight to hang with one of the best around. One of the marks of a great wrestler is how much they can elevate an opponent and Chris Ridgeway did that right here.
Tu Byt came out looking like a megastar and looks set for a monster 2022.
Overall, CATCH pulled out another great show, anchored by a classic main event. The company have built a strong universe of wrestlers and stories that are genuinely engaging and with every event their experience increases and the shows become slicker and slicker.
Certainly a company to watch in 2022, this was an event well worth watching, especially the main event.