Team KC vs. Team STL: Round 2
KC vs. STL Series – Kansas City leads 1-0
Since I reviewed the first NWL KC vs. NWL STL six-man tag from NWL KC’s show, I figured I’d best have a look at its direct follow-up. This happened at the first NWL STL show in St. Louis, so the heel/face dynamic has been switched, and Dak Draper has replaced Blaine Meeks on Team KC. Team STL, meanwhile, is entirely different from the team that wrestled in KC.
This is a good match, as expected, but I’d rate it slightly lower than the one from Kansas City for a couple reasons (the least of which is because I’m from the KC area). Draper is a good heel here, but he doesn’t reach the levels of hateability that Todd Letterman did previously. Letterman had the benefit of being huge compared to his opponents, and he took full advantage of being able to toss the Royals around while mugging for the crowd. Speaking of the Royals, they probably have the least experience of anyone here, and it shows in a few spots where they just don’t seem to be as familiar with the ring as everyone else. Also, they’re the smallest guys in the match, so it’s kind of jarring to see them on the bad guy side. But being able to throw both of them at once does help Maverick stand out.
This match does have the benefit of having two actual tag teams – the Royals and the Blood Brothers – while the previous match only had one. Cohesiveness is greatly improved when you have a team and a guy against a team and a guy instead of a team and a guy against a bunch of guys.
In the end, Draper and Maverick fight to the back and Davey kicks out of an assisted reverse Shiranui, one of the Royals’ trademarks. They go for something else, but Mat takes out one Royal and dropkicks the other in the midsection before Davey powerbombs him from the second rope for the win.
Winners – Maverick and the Blood Brothers (KC 1-1 STL)
Rating – Good
Hook the Leg, Man! 