REVIEW: Modern Nomad Pro Wrestling, Tuesday Night Graps - Treasure Hunt Spectacular
Modern Nomad Pro Wrestling, Tuesday Night Graps: Treasure Hunt Spectacular
The Frog and Bucket, Manchester
Tuesday, November 30
Reviewer: Matthew Laurillard (@matmagazineuk)
Credit: Modern Nomad Pro Wrestling
Tuesday Night Graps returns to the Frog & Bucket. A cult concern that has now spanned three companies, TNG has a strong reputation in the UK scene for not just a sense of humour but also a willingness to try new concepts and step outside the box.
The birth of Modern Nomad Wrestling was no different and added yet more evidence to how wrong ‘British Wrestling is dead’ has become.
We kick off the night with the drawing of teams for the main event 8-person tag match. The various entrants all joined us and through a mildly convoluted method of audience choice and random selection we ended up with our two teams.
Captaining Team Frog is Big Guns Joe, joined by Mad Kurt (to his disappointment), Gene Munny (in the guise of a film noir detective) and Kid Lykos. Team Bucket is captained by Nico Angelo, joined by Luke Jacobs, Rhio and Kid Lykos II.
After they head to the back to decide upon strategy we’re introduced to Ethan Allen, who will be master of ceremonies/ring announcer in what proves an inspired choice, he’s got just the self-deprecating low- key humour that works in that role.
Kyle Fletcher vs Mark Davis
Credit: Modern Nomad Pro Wrestling
First match up is a rare clash of tag team partners as Aussie Open face each other in singles action for the first time in almost three years.
And these two showed how much they know each other with a surprisingly hard-hitting contest that immediately showed that TNG will feature great matches as part of its DNA going forward.
Multiple snug piledrivers from both men and some impressive power was on show, but it was a dive to the outside by Fletcher that really set the crowd alight.
A great opener from two men who have returned to the UK with a vengeance.
Chris Egan vs RUFIO vs Jack Bandicoot vs Scott Oberman vs Natalie Sykes vs Man Like DeReiss
Next was a scramble featuring seven very entertaining wrestlers, including Sykes and Bandicoot as late replacements.
Man Like DeReiss has turned his recent notoriety for his poor looking stunner into an enjoyably daft ‘Stone Cold Steve Austin’ cosplay, Stone Cold Man Like DeReiss Austin Steve (I think).
Everyone got a chance to shine as you might expect before we ended with a fittingly bizarre conclusion. DeReiss may be Stone Cold but he’s apparently been suffering from piles, something RUFIO used to his advantage in winning by submission.
Chris Ridgeway vs Martin Kirby
Credit: Modern Nomad Pro Wrestling
A match made at short notice with Francesco Akira being kept out of the country by the law change that came in at 4am that same morning.
As much as it’s a shame to once again miss out on Ridgeway vs Akira, Martin Kirby was a great replacement. Two of the most capable and versatile junior heavyweights in the country these two put on a great match that really showed why they are so well respected.
Ridgeway would take the win after some devastating kicks but Kirby showed he has plenty of fight. Another bit of proof that TNG will showcase a wide range of wrestling.
Lee Hunter vs Dean Allmark
Credit: Modern Nomad Pro Wrestling
After an intermission we had a kind of mirror image to the previous match, two well respected, immensely capable wrestlers getting to show just why. Allmark and Hunter both have plenty of technical chops and this was a clinic for those of us who love that style.
In the end it was Hunter who got the win in a very back and forth contest, Allmark showing respect after the bell despite some heated moments in the match itself.
Team Frog (Big Guns Joe, Gene Munny, Kid Lykos Mad Kurt) vs Team Bucket (Nico Angelo, Kid Lykos II, Luke Jacobs & Rhio)
Credit: Modern Nomad Pro Wrestling
The main event: not really the kind of thing can be summed up easily in a paragraph. The two teams we saw drawn in the opening segment made their entrances, team captains Big Guns Joe and Nico Angelo dressed as a frog and a bucket respectively.
Too much went on throughout, but Mad Kurt got absolutely destroyed by Luke Jacobs for what could have been the finish, before both teams decided just to keep going.
Kurt did take a dive off the venues balcony just to show he wasn’t there simply to get ruined. The main thing that will live in the memory was Private Detective Gene Munny’s actions being occasionally sound tracked by a film noir-esque internal monologue.
In the end it was Kurt who won the match for his team in a minor upset before Kid Lykos thanked the crowd for coming.
Overall this was a relentlessly enjoyable night of pro wrestling that spanned plenty of styles and put smiles on faces. A strong return for TNG with the only downside being a lack of time management.
Five matches in just over three hours was a bit long and meant there were a few people leaving before the end. That will probably be something that will come as the promoters get more experience though, they certainly have the creativity and talent at their disposal to put something special together.