ACTS of DEFIANCE Arc Feedback

[Roland]

I'll put this here instead of the chat because I don't want to type on my phone.

DEFtv 137 FEED ME MORE BACK

VERIFIED BLUE CHECK MARK
Let me say DEFIANCE is filled with great characters right now, so I think it's saying something when I say Malak is my favourite. More on this later but I hate that I didn't come up with his gimmick. The idea of instantly dropping the notion social media likes are all that matters and cling onto how shiny those belts are, like fuck off. As if Malak didn't know titles existed before. For a while, I wondered why Seth would drop The WrestleFriends and move to this new team. A minor part of me hated him for it but I am getting into this act more and more. I think it was great to have Sky High win the titles on the "biggest" stage too. Good to see this run is really picking up.

AND STILL
So, this is the biggest compliment I can give, although depending on your taste you may not take it as such but I mean it as a GOOD THING lol. To me the Mikey Unlikely character is The Miz handled perfectly, day in and day out. I view guys like Oscar Burns and Scott Douglas as terrific wrestlers and Mikey as the perfect counterbalance to that. He's "formed alliances, purchased companies, etc", like shut up haha, it all fits so well and I could listen to this idiot character speak forever. I echo Ross' comments on really liking how he carries the title in a display case. I do like the idea of a closed challenge but I want more. I understand where this arc is going and it will work well but I want a long-term, well built 4-show story arc where Mikey can really shine from someone else who's also established. I know it will come. Troy was a good build but it was also with a returning character. I will await the time Mikey can battle someone like Douglas, or The D or Ares (pending face/heel turns obviously). Someone who's been waiting for a while and deserves their go.

"TWISTS AND TURNS" OSCAR BURNS vs. CRISTIANO CABALLERO
The perfect amount of time given to this and Seth continues to put a lot into his matches no matter how long/short they may be.

THE PATH BACK TO THE TOP
This is going to be the highlight feud for me in this arc. I know titles matter but I think it only adds to a card when you can get two elite characters into a match where a title doesn't matter and, clearly, both need a win. This has a chance to steal the PPV, if of course it builds to that but obviously it will. I'd also like to say I think the placement of this was great. It was early, it addressed where Burns will go and then that's it for this week.

TRASHCAN TIM vs. SOLOMON GRENDEL
This was a well-written, quick introduction match. I kind of want Tim to have a last name lol but I get it. No complaints from me here. I really like how Trashcan Tim came across upon his entrance. Loved he's missing two teeth and happy to pop his head to his own music.

WELCOME HOME
I like the interaction between the two characters. I like that it's established Panda watched LaCroix from Japan. Just because characters are newer to DEFIANCE doesn't mean they need to be written as such. I can't help but think of Roman Reigns whenever I hear the words "big dog" (also said in Michael Cole's upbeat tone "it's the big dog"!). Screw you WWE for ruining that forever.

OPPORTUNITY KNOCKING
Wrote.

CYRUS BATES vs. SGT. SAFETY
I don't even care about the match. I mean it was good, don't get me wrong but Malak was on commentary. I don't know what Ross channels for this guy but his speech is captivating. I could listen to this shit the entire show. If Malak ever gets injured, I vote for him to replace Lance and he could rival Angus with his heel behaviours. Anyway, in response to Mikey's feedback I also laughed good at how Safety carried himself and I welcome his return to the ring at any time. I am already all hands on deck for this tag title arc. Seth has got himself caught up in the 2 most interesting battles (Burns/Troy, Tag Titles) so far.

TRUST
My only issue here is on whoever put the show structure together (I'm aware it was me). Upon reading this, maybe it was too much to do with the tag division so early. You had the verified checkmark segment, Adler-Landell getting ready for their match, Bates match and then this. That's on me.

THE LUCKY SEVENS vs. TO THE MAXX
I really liked this. The tag division is really picking up right now. I dig the gimmick and that they're bigger guys. DEFIANCE can rival AEW soon for the best tag division. I also like how this doesn't cut corners and we know right away who their feuding with. To get PCP this early (pun intended) in their second arc is a huge shot in the arm.

SURF'S UP
Wrote. If nothing more than to keep them as a reminder they're alive. Please use them at will, just give me a heads up.

SCROW vs. NICKY SYNZ
Scrow has become a fantastic character. I wasn't digging him that much at the beginning... I think the 3-way feud with Carny and Dex was a little confusing as to who was going over and what was happening. I think the character has really come into his own right now. As in, he might be my second favourite heel behind Malak (Mikey doesn't count, he's the FIST). My only thing here would be if he's suspended, then we wouldn't see him for a while.

SINGLE PLAYER ONLY
N/A

DEACON vs. CONOR FUSE
N/A

YOU COULD BE IN MOVIES
PCP is entertaining as always. This was a good segment. I like the casting couch. More casting couch!

WE'RE BACK
Similar to my idea with GCC, having The Stevens make an appearance ensures they aren't forgotten about. However, in a show that's jam packed with so much, maybe this and the GCC could have been moved to UNCUT. However, these are former TAG TEAM CHAMPIONS. They deserve a segment.

OPPORTUNITY CALLING
N/A

MIKEY UNLIKELY vs. MYSTERY OPPONENT
This was cool for what it was. I said most of my stuff in the Mikey segment. Unlikely is a great character and what he can do with the FIST may go on to make it one of the most memorable runs in history.

YOU AND YOUR FRIEND ARE GONNA GET IT!
I like that this ties into Trashcan's earlier match and also gives him a future direction. I like how he thinks he's made friends already.

NOT APPLICABLE
Exactly as the title says, N/A here.

DEX JOY vs. ALECZANDER THE GREAT
Dex continues to impress. The sky's the limit on this character. A good victory against a guy that (Seth can correct me if I'm wrong) was always being hinted at as being one of the next big things if I remember from previous arcs from years ago.

COMMERCIAL: BEST OF OSCAR BURNS
lol so can this happen? Can you just post a show with 4-5 of the best matches from the man's career? I'm serious. I think it would be kind cool. You could to this BEST OF show once a month and pick a new character each time. It's like it's a DVD compilation, matches chosen by the handler himself. I don't know if this "commercial" has been shown before but it's the first time I noticed it. I guess I don't pay much attention to commercials. Also screw you for picking the guy who was the LOSER at MAXDEF.

PAUSE
So, yes I was a part of this but I had NOTHING to do with the written aspect of Stalker. Obviously, I knew where the segment was going but I didn't know anything else. I thought Stalker came across really well. Makes him an instant threat with a history built in and credibility. It was really well written.

UNIFIED TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIPS: SKY HIGH TITANS (C) vs. GUNTHER ADLER & SHOOTER LANDELL
A good match to end the show, the titles being on the line and more exposure for Sky High which are now coming into their own. I liked Landell was injured. Perhaps, this is the end of those characters for a while. Also, I really liked The Comment Section "watching" the match backstage but texting instead. To me, this is just a mark-out part of the show because we've all been there, "watching" something but we aren't. God damn perfect. Now Malak needs to go out and say he watched their match and be super critical of everything even though he didn't watch shit.

OVERALL
It was a good show. Yes, it was long. Yes, the show could have probably gone without a few things here and there (mostly my stuff) but it was good. I won't continue to bring up the previous DEFCON arc after this but I felt MAXDEF blew it out of the water and ACTS has a chance to, too. I just hope all characters are as active and around a few arcs from now because this is a great group.

 

[Ross]

DEFtv 138 Feedback

RUNDOWN
I liked the tongue in cheek reference to Will ruining things lol. I liked how the announcement of Mikey defending the FIST on Uncut was made. First time ever, really cool.

TIM/ADV VS. BAF
ADV being too self-enthralled to help his partner was a nice touch. Tim and ADV pick up the win and what a unique team they are. I don't see this tandem existing for long though and it's all because of ADV's over inflated ego. He finally made it to DEFtv but we'll see how quick he is to make waves now that he's there.

WORLD TOUR PT. 1
The one-sided banter between Unlikely and Deacon worked here. I really liked how Mikey was like, whoa too close there, Deacon. Even at his 'advanced' age, Deacon is still someone to be weary of and the champion even knows that. I wonder what else is going to happen throughout the show during this world tour lol.

COWBOY VS. SLAINE
This match was purely window dressing for a Scrow / Carla moment, which worked well. I just can never put my finger on what I'm going to get with Scrow. Is he up? Is he down? His gamut of moods keeps things unpredictable as I was maybe expecting another violent outburst but yet, he comes out at the start of a match and apologizes. I would like to see this lead to Scrow vs. Cowboy next DEFtv and maybe have Carla referee the bout.

INDEFINITE HIATUS
This was great. It flowed and was very easy to read. This Tiger Queen Netflix bit kills me. Maybe I think it is TOO obvious PCPs are pulling the wool over Lucky Sevens eyes, that they actually might not be? They are selling this whole movie bit hard to the point of believable, so it interests me to see when or if PCPs decide to pull the plug.

DIDN'T LIKE THEIR RATING
I liked this set up between Stevens Dynasty and GCC. I liked how it cut to the chase and a PPV match was proposed at a show other than the go-home. Placing a type of 'gauntlet' for qualification of that match was also a great idea. It's the test before the test and it'll be interesting to see how these wrestlers stack up in singles matches before a potential tag match.

LACROIX VS. PANDA
I actually like the continuity use of the referee here. It makes sense Carla is still the ref in the ring because the previous match didn't really happen. I feel like LaCroix always has an unfair advantage being from New Orleans but having him taken to task by Black Panda worked well for both wrestlers here. LaCroix picks up the win. Solid match.

THIS IS HOME
I thought Gage showing up and verbally pushing back at Jay Harvey worked well here. I did not expect to see a brawl break out. I'm going to say it right now, I want this to be a cage match on PPV. I know I might not get my wish, but I just have a feeling these two wrestlers are the types of rivals you used to see on elementary school playgrounds and that's not a put down. Like, that kid better not use my portion of the sandbox or else I'm kicking his ass type deal. They don't need the gimmick match, though. I just want to see someone get thrown into the steel lol.

BO VS. CCK
The action was fast and furious here and I did not see the finish coming. This works well because it reinforces the power the referees wield. I know this is just a stepping stone in the greater scheme of building up their rivalry, so I eagerly await more from this.

THE GAME SPOT
What did I just read!? Wow. So much happened. From the video game themed 'talk show' style segment to all the nicknames, coy remarks, mispronounced names and the action. This was almost too loaded with stuff. As much as I like Fuse Bros (360) together, I think having Conor play the part of a solo video game wrestler really accentuates all the small details and connections you can make. The interview with Magdalena was very good and the threat of violence upon her, forcing Deacon to come out and save her was even better. But what was even crazier was the appearance of baNES... see what I did there? I liked many of the references, including the one about LLB. All that was missing was Funko Pops on display.

WORLD TOUR PT. 2
An awkward meeting between the champ and GCC lol. Maybe GCC can get their own locker room now that they are on the main roster?

BURNS & BATTS VS. DUNSON CLAN
Decent match and another good win for Burns and Batts as they continue to get on the right track. I just get a feeling that when Oscar Burns is in the ring, it is hard to out wrestle him, at least technically speaking. His submission moves are on point and that is what ultimately led them to the victory.

READY
And there is a great promo to follow up a showcase match for Burns (and Batts). I liked the way Burns just laid out the challenge but also reminded everyone of his previous credentials. Troy is obviously no slouch either and I liken this to two titans of e-wrestling going at it in a match of legendary proportions.

DOUGLAS VS. TBD
Scott Douglas handled his opponent nicely. I feel this was more of a set up for the segment that followed, which is similar to the Burns match. Not a bad formula to follow at all.

ARE YOU SCARED YET?
I'm sorry, but Scott Douglas is straight fire. On the mic, in his bar-setting promos. He is so well written. Just a pissed off Douglas, coming off a victory, calling out Tyler Fuse for not being a completionist lol. When I read this character, especially in the ring, I get a cagey Jon Moxley, Wolverine feel to him. Don't cross him because eventually he will track you down. The action that ensued was great. It was a chaotic but worked well. My only fear is maybe not having the spotlight on any one of the three wrestlers involved enough. I think each deserves a shining moment and it felt like Douglas was mad with Tyler but then Stalker comes out. It is understandable they have beef too because Stalker attacked Kuroyama. In my mind, I just want to see Scott Douglas PUMMEL Tyler Fuse and Stalker simultaneously.

JOY VS. TRINIDAD
Dex got roughed up in this one as he loses to Trinidad in part to a major assist from Aleczander. The attack afterwards really puts Joy in a sympathetic role you can't help but cheer for. I think the idea of having two bruisers go at it worked well here. Now, I just look for Dex to rebound.

NOW YOU CAN'T BE IN MOVIES
Another great promo. I just want Elise Ares to finally get her big break and star in a huge film! It was neat to see Lucky Sevens annoyed at first with the movie but then they were kind of floored after getting an email from a producer because they looked good. The set up for a tag match with another team worked just fine here. You have to think PCPs might show up in some capacity then.

BLACKWOOD VS. HARVEY
Decent match. The action was good although I just wanted these two to tear into each other. I understand this was just a DEFtv and not a PPV where I envision these guys ripping each others heads off lol. Harvey scored the victory quickly after hitting a signature move. The antics the crowd played up afterwards towards Gage was a nice touch too. If one win wasn't enough, now Harvey has legit bragging rights over Blackwood with two falls to none.

WORLD TOUR PT. 3
But what does it mean!? Who is going to face Mikey Unlikely at ACTS? I am only guessing but I think now might be the time a certain ACE gets cashed in...? It'll be interesting to see what things might keep Mikey on the run for the foreseeable future.

LIMIT BREAKER
This was great. The already established storyline links between Scrow and Joy from previous arcs might find them to combine forces to take on Team HOSS. Aleczander was not apologetic with his summation of what has happened to Scrow in and out of the ring recently, and I think that really speaks a lot to the depth of Scrow's character. He's been beaten down, but he still seems to overcome adversity... until Team HOSS slams him through a table.

ACT I
I liked the effects used at the start of the segment, especially considering the weather in New Orleans is actually stormy right now. I don't know if that was on purpose or coincidence, but I like those sorts of real touches. The Toy Box returns, and they are greeted with cheers as they act oddly. I have heard of the team before, but I am not super familiar. Regardless, this seemed like a funny promo. The tease at the end of Toy Box facing other teams is intriguing. It'll be interesting to see what happens with them.

MAIN EVENT AND ENDING
The only thing I want to say about my stuff is that this was really Seth's idea coming to fruition and I couldn't be happier with how it turned out. I think it was a great idea both in theory and execution. I am also super humbled and equally stoked that I got to be in the main event! So, thank you guys!

OVERALL
I just want to say damn. This was a stacked show. New and returning wrestlers continue to pour into DEFIANCE and it couldn't be a more fun time to handle and write and chat. I am thoroughly enjoying my time with everyone and I hope this is only a sign of great things to come.

MARK OUT MOMENT
My M.O.M. (no Lindz, not you lol) is split between Scott Douglas, Conor Fuse and Deacon. I felt The Game Spot segment was the most unique on the show. Deacon will be PISSED about getting beat up by that baNES freak guy. As mentioned previously, Douglas is a straight fire character. I want to read more of his stuff immediately after finishing a match or segment of his. I also dig the ACTS logo. Great job everyone.

 

[Ross]

DEFtv 139 Feedback

LUCKY SEVENS
Really, the crux of their appearance was to show their devotion to DEFIANCE, and I think they managed to pull it off. They also managed to pull off comedy quite well here. I have enjoyed the whole PCPs / Netflix angle and I would like to see Lucky Sevens continue to use comedy in ways beyond this.

CONOR FUSE
The Game Boy is unleashed. Game on. I cannot stand how exuberant Fuse is. He tussles the top of TGBs head like a puppy. The duo works well because Conor can just rely on bigger muscle to acquire cheap wins.

MIKEY UNLIKELY
I would like to vote, please. The songs in the second segment got heat from me. I could just imagine Mikey waltzing around his Sweet Suite, mingling with the guests, thinking he is so cool. It was neat to see the characters he conversed with and how diverse conversations can be within the same segment. The finish to the third segment was abrupt but I know it was on purpose. I will have to familiarize myself with Perfection.

TOYBOX AND BURNS N BATTS
This felt like a Batman 66 episode. I like the comedic value of Toybox. Their need to cling to reality makes the unrealistic stuff believable. The line about old stars coming back and stealing the spotlight from new ones was tongue-in-cheek funny. Even their meeting with Tyler later in the night was funny. I cannot believe they thought Tyler bought a woman lol.

CASSIDY
The match was good, but I especially liked how Cassidy carried himself afterwards. Instead of burying his opponent, he actually extends an invitation for them to join him for a drink afterwards and I do not know if it was just me, but I got a feeling of genuine sincerity from Cassidy. I like that. He can kick your ass but once the business portion is over, none of that matters to him anymore and you can join him for a drink.

TITANS
I was expecting a hot dog eating contest. Aside from that disappointment, Junior spits straight fire on the mic. I like how the Titans say they have handled everything internally and now also publicly. Everyone is gunning for a piece of the tag champs and the conversing with BADASS sets up the match later in the night nicely.

BLACKWOOD
He is so LiT right now. I think Gage is at his best when he is just uncontrollably mad, as was the case here.

STEVENS DYNASTY
Outsmarted by Cain, Gulf Coast works their way to a match at ACTS. Not much more needs to be said but I think the Stevens Dynasty has been put into the right amount of pissed off mode for what should be quite the physical display at the PPV.

PANDA AND LACROIX
Things have heated up in this rivalry. I liked the lights out part the most. It built anticipation well and provided that frenzy moment pro wrestling is known for. I enjoyed the referencing to the past of LaCroix and how he might be a shell of his former self.

PCPs AND SEVENS
This felt like it was something straight out of Who Framed Roger Rabbit. These teams should just settle it in a Netflix contract ladder match at ACTS lol.

HARVEY
Jay picks up a quick win and the attack by Gage carries story continuity from him being in a rage earlier in the show. Harvey being laid out and not getting up adds more heat but also got me behind Jay more because it puts him in a sympathetic light. I think it would have been a mistake had Jay gotten up or even glanced back at Gage. It shows he is not invincible but rest assured, there will be retaliation for these actions at another time.

TYLER FUSE
He is no fun and no nonsense by going beyond wanting to win matches and replacing it with destroying lives. That got heat from me.

ADV AND TRASH
A good exchange between these two wrestlers. I get the feeling ADV works well with just about any character. I would like to see more of Trashcan on the card though!

TROY AND FRIENDS
This was short and sweet and to the point. I really enjoy reading Troy because it is always an easy go, and this was no different. Downplaying losses for both Burns and Troy feels the same because in my mind they are two bulletproof characters so I do not see a loser coming out of this one.

TEAM HOSS
The real meat of this was with the insertion of Scrow and Joy after the match. Having Scrow in the mix of all these powerhouses gives him grit and credibility in my mind. Not many guys can hang with the likes of them. In a fed with some of the best tag teams going, it will be interesting to see where Joy and Scrow go from here.

MAIN EVENT
Not to sound cheesy but this was indeed intensity personified. The match did not wait around to get good and Scott Douglas is so over in my mind that him winning would send the fans into an inaudible frenzy. I wanted Douglas to celebrate his triumph but that was the beauty of storytelling here. The over face gets his head kicked in even on a good night for him.

M.O.M.
I am going with Toybox here because Scott has just brought them back and collaborated with quite a few individuals successfully. I like their overt style of comedy and the ideas with them seem endless. They can take the most outrageous thought and make it believable. Isn't that what pro wrestling is all about, after all?

 

[Roland]

My feedback is going to be a mix on the feuds overall and the matches as well.

INTRO/RUNDOWN
Just a thought but we should actually have a theme song for each PPV instead of saying "PPV Theme". I like listening to people's themes while I write matches and a PPV theme would help, too. Even if I don't like the genre. Something tells me management likes poor genres...

ALVARO de VARGAS vs. TRASHCAN TIM
I'm told to believe Seth didn't want Val Venis as his first eW character and yet, ADV is talking about dick size. Please. Spare me your lies, Seth. I like the explanation behind ADV's aggression and that he's a trained wrestler. I liked this match a lot for the open. It didn't run too long, the right person went over... maybe a little too much offense in this match for ADV but if he's gonna be main roster, I get it. I liked how Trashcan was able to overcome it and get a decisive victory.

MATT LaCROIX vs. BLACK PANDA
I liked the recap here at the top. Anyone could just jump into this match without prior knowledge and go from there. Sometimes, I feel like there are matches where you can go in without needing a recap (feuds that have such a long history, or matches thrown together quickly). I realized both men like the lights out for their entrance. Good work, light crew! This match read well and came across like a slow-style stiff fight. Just a few issues with the counts and whatnot, having the announcers say it and not laying it out for dramatic effect. I also noticed Lance was written a little more like a heel here. I don't put this on the writers at all. Perhaps we should have a 1-2 page document, updated, shared with everyone that has the formatting on it, the layout of the WrestlePlex and a quick few lines of how to write DDK and Lance. I picture Lance being an even nicer version of Keebler. I may be off but just something to note. I also saw Lance mentioned this being war a number of times. Nothing wrong with that, just felt a little repetitive. Otherwise, I thought this was a good, stiff, hard-hitting match and at a slower pace than some of the other ones we'd see later on. I really liked the finish of the match, ending by KO. Something we should be doing more of here, submissions, KO's, ref's decision.

JUST IN CASE
So clearly the WWE Retribution group has come for Mikey. I liked the UNTIL WE DIE to UNTIL YOU DIE description. I also liked how Mikey said he has Perfection with him because he doesn't know about the Stevens' family and what they'll be up to. Bo, George and Cary are still heels, though which is an interesting dynamic that could lead to either all of them turning face or a good story-line after this. Anyway, I just liked that touch from Mikey because I was left wondering IF the Stevens Family would become involved and if so, what would they do? I'm sure the Mikey character didn't intend to get me thinking that way, it was just to put the focus on Perfection.

STEVENS DYNASTY vs. GULF COAST CONNECTION
Speak of the Stevens Family. It's tough to find a spot for things at times. After reading the previous segment, this match could've swapped places with someone else but whatever. Stoovins was in a bind so I put the match together. Nothing against GCC but hopefully the Stevens Dynasty and Scott Stevens himself will have an interesting arc coming up... considering one is now a face and the others, still heels. I know Seth is pushing to see GCC get a big win. He can keep waiting for a while LOL.

STEALTH
Mean brother reunites with annoying brother. Hmmmmm, sounds familiar.

DEX JOY & SCROW vs. TEAM HOSS
I greatly appreciate the long-term storytelling and interactions between Dex Joy and Scrow. I could say many good things about both characters. I like the mental torment Scrow has, I really think there's something special about this character and the way he speaks. Dex, obviously, has a great future too. I was a little skeptical upon hearing they'd be teaming this arc but I think it worked out well. One small note, does the bell ring before the ring announcements or right before the match? I've seen it done both ways, real and written wrestling. Personally, I don't understand how the bell can ring before the match "actually" starts but that's just something to note in the future. Anyway, I liked the match. From how both Dex and Scrow entered the ring at the same time, to their relationship eventually breaking down, to Scrow not wanting to tag, etc. I would have liked to see the match end WITH them working together but that's not the story being told here. One other thing to note was there was a spot where the narration called a move and then the announcer did, too.

"...Aleczander shutting things down quickly by picking him up out of mid-air and using a tilt-a-whirl slam!

DDK:
Tilt-a-whirl slam by Aleczander the Great! And now he has a cover on Scrow."

I would say just have either DDK or the narration call it, not both. Also, I'd like to see more of Team HOSS, too. My understanding was Angel Trinidad was destined for great things. Either way, I think Team HOSS should be set on the DEFIANCE roster. Even if they aren't used every show or every arc, they should have a place there. In fact, I'll tell you what. Team HOSS vs. GCC. There ya go. Although I think Team HOSS should go over.

MUSHIGIHARA vs. CRISTIANO CABALLERO
I liked this a lot. Great to see Mushigihara back. I really like Eddie Dante, as well. I hope this means Mushi is a regular again. He's got so much history in DEF and yet, there are lots of new characters to feud with.

SCOTT DOUGLAS vs. TYLER FUSE vs. STALKER
Co-wrote with Justin and Brian. I'm happy with the ways things turned out, in an initially storyline that had the potential for a million directions. The ideas thrown around could make Tyler a part of thing Stalker's World forever. I am hopeful all parties involved can get as much out of this in the future as needed. Douglas is a top character I've praised forever but Stalker has something special in him too.

THE LUCKY SEVENS vs. POP CULTURE PHENOMS
I loved this shit. I could read this all day. My argument is wrestling is built on a foundation of nonsense to begin with. A clown that wrestlers. A tax guy who comes after you in the ring. A deadman who buries people and burnt his brother when they were kids but his brother is actually not burned, it was just mental scars and even if he was burned, we are supposed to forget about that. Plus, he was a dentist. I think if you just let yourself go and accept this match, it's incredible. And in my defense, it WAS still a match. Ares, imo, is the best character in DEFIANCE right now outside of Mikey. I read her bio the other day and it was hilarious. So, first, I loved the reasoning for this match. The Lucky 7's are way bigger than them so of course they would want a gimmick fight. Second, I love that this match was paid for by PCP. A wink and nod to any reader that may not be 100% into this lol. I love the use of Mark Shields, which I've said many times was actually my creation passed down from Action to tSC to DEFIANCE. Great use of the most useless referee of all-time. I hear he's unavailable next arc and I would love him to be involved more with PCP. The interaction with Max and Mason to start was good. The introduction of Ares was a mark out moment. I mean, I could really list everything. Well done to everyone involved. Adding Ryan Batts was perfect. I really did like how 4 people were outside playing "lumberjacks" chained to the posts. The comebacks were good, The D pleading for his life at the end was great. This was perfect length. Nothing overdone. Match of the show for me and showcased PCP, their associates, The Lucky 7's and even Ryan Batts. More of this please! I DREAM of one day: The ToyBox vs. PCP, Fuse Bros. vs. The ToyBox and Fuse Bros. vs. PCP, all in some kind of cinematic setting. Sorry, Brian. THERE IS MONEY IN THIS DAMMIT.

ONE JOB TO DO
Thank you for channeling Joel Embiid. In fact, now that Embiid has been kicked outta the playoffs, he'd be the PERFECT manager for The Comments Section.

"TWIST AND TURNS" OSCAR BURNS vs. "QUEEN OF THE RING" LINDSAY TROY
The "pure" wrestling match of the night. I don't know if recapping this will be very in-depth. A great contest back and forth and I think the last 3 matches were perfectly placed. You had a hardcore "triple threat" contest, a fun wrestling cinematic experience and then this, real, up-front wrestling. I am a HUGE sucker for high-level face vs. face and I think it should be done more often. Tension built up great. I liked a lot of the false-finishes and I'm glad Conor-Deacon went after this because Burns-Troy had a similar formula to Blackwood-Harvey with regards to false finishes near the end. I really liked the postmatch stuff and making it immediately known there will be a round 2. Perfect. That doesn't happen a lot right away... you normally have to wait until the next show to see it be booked.

NOT FADE AWAY
Cool quick segment and perhaps ADV is here to stay.

DEACON vs. CONOR FUSE
Wrote with Warren. I liked the idea of Deacon being "off his game" and out of character to seek some revenge, which was not my idea but it was a great call. I never intended for this match to go too long. I really like how it came out.

PREDICTION
I can 100% get behind this face Scott Stevens.

SOUTHERN HERITAGE CHAMPIONSHIP: GAGE BLACKWOOD (C) vs. JAY HARVEY
Wrote with Will. He took most of the pre-match stuff and me the match stuff. I like how this was broken up and it wasn't just a fight from bell to bell but starting beforehand. Whoever said it was very 1990's, that was the call. I had concerns going into the PPV that this could live up to Burns-Blackwood but I think it's a 1B next to it so I am happy.

UNIFIED TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIPS: SKY HIGH TITANS (C) vs. THE COMMENTS SECTION
Bless you, Malak Garland. Maybe a little too early to put the belts on them? When I found out the results, I was stunned. However, I loved this match and this entire feud. IMO the best tag team arc since I've been a part of DEFIANCE. The tension between Minute and The Keeling Family coming into this battle... absolutely loved Ames jumping on Cortez for the selfie spot. Terrific. The only thing I would say and this is clearly just my philosophy against Ross', is that I think it would work well if Malak had a partial mean-streak in him during big matches. An annoying keyboard warrior who, come PPV time anyway, can be a version of HBK but otherwise he's just an annoying, USELESS snowflake. However, Malak DID get the victory with his finisher, proving he can be a threat, unlike the PPV last arc where he was devastated and got tricked into taking on Gulf Coast (which to be a hypocrite, I loved as well). Garland is a future cornerstone of DEFIANCE and a mini Mikey Unlikely, albeit different gimmicks. I am looking forward to their tag team reign a lot. I popped hard for the finish. As for Sky High Titans... does this lead to a split? I hope they can get back on track. They are still a new team in my mind (as new as TCS actually). Hoping they can rebound.

FIST OF DEFIANCE: MIKEY UNLIKELY (C) vs. SCOTT STEVENS
So I wanted to mention I liked the length of this match and really all the matches on the PPV. None of them went on forever. Even though long matches can be a good thing. I felt like this was the perfect length and the tension was built really well. It's hard because this is really Stevens first time in the light as a face. He didn't have the arc to do this, either, just the one segment. So you're coming into this match with a hill to climb but I think Mikey and Stoovins met it. I really liked the "DON'T TURN AROUND" part. Very cleverly written. Great build towards the end. Yes, Perfection interferes a lot but the story was Perfection for it (ohhh see what I did there!?) Loved the display case cracking over Stevens, marked out on that. Quick go-home after the match but I liked it. Doesn't need to be more. Tune in to DEFtv for follow-up.

TOP PLAYERS
1.) Elise Ares - the stuff she did in the match, including the tree spot, was top notch.
2.) Malak Garland - snowflake gets away with murder, always a good time.
3.) Mikey Unlikely - he gets the bronze medal due to being the FIST and pulling out the W. Many other characters just a notch behind him on this one.

OVERALL
Great arc. I like to compare to the previous arc, in which I think MAX DEF was just a bit higher for me. Really excited to see where a lot of these new characters go and, hopefully, we can keep this rolling. I took note of what Ross said about all the heels winning the last 4 matches. That's something I will note in the future since I laid out this card and I did not focus on who was winning. Probably need to switch it up better next time. Initially, Deacon-Conor wasn't supposed to go long and was simply there to break up 2 bigger matches but then... shit happens.