In a standing room only venue, Victory Pro Wrestling’s Gold Rush Rumble was filled with all kinds of surprises.
GRUDGE MATCH
JACOB HENDRIX v KRISSY
It started with Jacob calling the then-manager of the Down Boyz “White Girl.” Months passed and the anger slowly built up in Krissy to where she finally called him out. A broken heel kept her from getting her hands on Jacob at Carnage in Centereach, but she was 100% ready to go in this one.
Things started off amazing for her, finally getting her revenge on the scurge of the Church, but her inexperience cost her as she charged in the corner and knocked the referee down in the process. This gave Jacob a chance to pull out a powder, throw it in her face, and distract her long enough for him to steal the win.
WINNER: JACOB HENDRIX
After the match, Jacob looked to continue the attack until VPW Womens Champion Karen came to Krissy’s aid. Jacob started to mount an offense, which brought Grop the Caveman to the ring! With Jacob gone, Krissy, Karen, and Grop stood tall.
THE GOLD RUSH RUMBLE
First, the rules:
Two wrestlers start the match. After 2 minutes, another VPW wrestler comes to the ring. This would continue every 60 seconds until all competitors entered the ring. Wrestlers are eliminated once they are thrown over the top rope and both feet touch the floor. The Rumble ends when there are four wrestlers left, who then go on to finish in the main event to determine the winner.
In order of appearance:
Fighter Cat, VsK, Howie Timberche, Mr. Freedom, Steve from the Down Boyz, Razzle Dazzle, Grop the Caveman, Kevin Fulton, Dorian Graves, Jacob Hendrix, Krissy, Ricky Reyes, Tony from the Down Boyz, Rhett Titus, Kevin Tibbs, Mikey Old School, and Jay Delta.
Highlights from the Rumble:
- The first elimination took place immediately after the match started, with an arrogant and cocky VsK thinking he would roll over Fighter Cat was surprised and tossed over the top. This gave Fighter Cat a chance to relax before the next competitor came to the ring, but infuriated VsK.
- Kevin Fulton had the most eliminations, knocking out Grop the Caveman, Mr. Freedom, and Razzle Dazzle almost immediately, then eliminating Krissy, and finally Ricky Reyes, who also eliminated Kevin Fulton at the same time.
- Fighter Cat joins a small group that have gone coast-to-coast and make it to the finals of the Gold Rush Rumble. That group includes Jorge Santi, Kevin Fulton, and EJ Risk.
- Despite wrestling on the first Gold Rush Rumble show in 2009, this was Rhett Titus’ first appearance IN the Gold Rush Rumble.
- The first Gold Rush Rumble started in 2009. This became an annual event, filled with surprises and debuts. It also holds a couple of significant historical moments as a result. Mikey Old School and Kevin Tibbs are still the only two competitors left (four years running) that have participated in every single Gold Rush Rumble. Krissy is the second woman to participate in the Gold Rush Rumble (the first being Dani DT).
This year, it held another significant historical moment. Kevin Tibbs eliminated Tony from the Down Boyz, ending the match and sending the final four to the main event – Fighter Cat, Rhett Titus, Jay Delta, and Kevin Tibbs. As the fans cheered, EJ Risk’s music played and the VPW Commissioner came to the ring… wearing his signature wrestling gear! He took the microphone and announced that everyone forgot the one, final, competitor in this year’s Rumble, EJ RISK!
The officials ordered the match to continue and almost immediately, Risk tossed Kevin Tibbs from the ring, making the new final four for the main event Fighter Cat, Rhett Titus, Jay Delta, and now EJ Risk!
RAZZLE DAZZLE w/ Mikey Old School v KAI KATANA
Before the match, Katana told Razzle Dazzle he believed in opportunities, and that every one deserves a chance to succeed. The VPW Champion told Dazzle this was his opportunity, and not to waste it.
The match began with Razzle taking charge but that did not last long as Katana was able to regain control and pick up the win in this non-title contest after a vicious Death Valley Driver.
WINNER: KAI KATANA.
KEVIN FULTON v RICKY REYES
VPW Management signed this match immediately after they eliminated each other from the Gold Rush Rumble to give them a chance to finish what they started. Fulton and Reyes picked up where they left off before getting to the ring, battling by the merchandise table before finally getting in the ring.
The battle between the former friends went back and forth until it spilled outside the ring again, back up the ramp, towards the merchandise table, then towards the announce booth, leading to a double-count out.
RESULT: DOUBLE COUNT-OUT.
SPECIAL ATTRACTION
VsK w/ EJ Risk v ALDO ROSE (fka Adam Rose)
VsK has been upset for several months now. First, he lost the New York State Championship. Then he attacked Kai Katana after he reclaimed the VPW Championship at Carnage in Centereach, claiming that VsK would be coming back for what’s his. And earlier in the evening, he was eliminated in less than 30 seconds by Fighter Cat.
So when he took the microphone, he lashed out on the night’s special guest, Aldo Rose. That he has worked night after night, year after year, main eventing, championships, and putting his heart and soul into VPW only to see the flyer for the Gold Rush Rumble a picture of Rose infuriated him. That the fans would come to see Rose, or a bunny, or a guy wearing a hot dog costume instead of VsK was enough for him. He called out Rose, with the intention of showing why he was the best thing to ever step inside a VPW ring.
Rose came out to an amazing fan fare, and then invited all the kids to come around and follow him as he danced around the ring. Inside the ring, VsK and EJ Risk stood side-by-side ready to face Rose, who was partying outside the ring with the fans.
Once the match started, Rose went to work. The two battled and Rose took charge first. The two battle inside and outside the ring, before VsK took control. Rose showed signs of life but VsK kept the onslaught coming.
A belly to back suplex by Rose knocked enough from VsK to give the guest a chance to mount a comeback. After he had him where he wanted him, Rose grabbed his lollipop and in the interest of “sharing”, shoved it in VsK’s mouth before knocking him down with a double axe handle and almost picking up the win.
VsK was in trouble, and EJ Risk knew it. What he didn’t know was that he was about to get skewered by a VsK superkick gone bad. On the apron to cause the distraction, Rose grabbed the VPW commissioner by his vest. VsK saw this as a chance to pick up the win, but struck Risk with his signature move instead of Rose. Rose followed up with a stunning DDT into a crossface, leading to one of the more stunning events in VPW history – VsK tapping out in the center of the ring.
WINNER: ALDO ROSE
After the match, Rose grabbed EJ Risk and threw him in the ring. His punishment for trying to interfere earlier, a lollipop of his own!
TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP
THE DOWN BOYS v THE CHURCH OF TIBBS (c) w/ Krissy and Jacob Hendrix
On paper alone, this match screams “Match of the Night” or “Show Stealer”. The rivalry between the Down Boyz and the Church of Tibbs has years of history with the then-dominant tag champs mauling everyone in sight, and Kevin Tibbs bringing then rookie Dorian Graves into his Church and mentorship to re-enter the tag team scene, being a three time tag champion with three different partners (Kevin Fulton and VsK were the other two). Throw in Krissy and Jacob’s feud, and the rivalry is beyond white-hot.
Things started well for the champions. They were able to control the challengers until they threw them outside the ring. Tibbs charged off the ropes to tackle Steve, who grabbed Krissy and stopped Tibbs in his tracks. This gave Tony a chance to gain control inside the ring for the Down Boyz.
The former champions came back strong, looking to take back what they felt was theirs. Dominating Tibbs, signs started to show it was indeed time for the Down Boyz to reclaim the gold, but that would not be the case. Tibbs would tag his partner and the Church would regain control momentarily.
Tony inadvertantly knocked out the official with an airplane spin, with Graves’ boot doing the dirty work. Once the Down Boyz settled in, they were able to hit their Down Boyz Device dropkick on Graves. Tony brought Krissy in, saying that now was the time to do it. She grabbed the title belt, then as they were going to set up Tibbs, she knocked Tony out with it. She grabbed the official who was only able to get a two count.
The action continued and Jacob got involved, with Tibbs telling him to get the belt to finish the job on Steve. Instead, in a “what just happened” moment, Jacob hit Tibbs with a low blow. Tibbs went down, Steve pinned Tibbs, and the Down Boyz, now with Jacob Hendrix, reclaimed the VPW Tag Team Championships!
NEW VPW TAG TEAM CHAMPIONS: THE DOWN BOYZ
THE MAIN EVENT
GOLD RUSH RUMBLE FINALS
FATAL FOURWAY ELIMINATION MATCH
JAY DELTA v RHETT TITUS v FIGHTER CAT v EJ RISK
The surprise of the night, the return of EJ Risk, was overshadowed by the new surprise of the night, Jacob Hendrix turning on the Church of Tibbs. That would change once again.
Three of the final four, Jay Delta, Rhett Titus, and Fighter Cat were in the ring and EJ Risk would come out last. The VPW Commissioner entered the ring and grabbed the microphone, then backed out of the ring, refreshing the fans the reason wh he stopped wrestling was because he was not medically cleared. So to be fair, Risk claimed to find the best replacement for him in VPW, the best thing to ever happen to VPW, VsK.
Fighter Cat and VsK have both won Gold Rush Rumbles before. Jay Delta, a former VPW Champion and the King of New York, has been in Victory Pro Wrestling since day one. And Rhett Titus is a former Ring of Honor tag team champion. The history and experience, and the opportunities presented to these four were obvious in their escalated desire to win.
Almost 20 minutes of back and forth action took place before even the first elimination took place, which came at the hands of Fighter Cat. Leaving Titus, Delta, and VsK, the action continued with increased intensity. Inside and out of the ring, VsK and Delta double teamed Titus, knowing it would take the two of them to take out the tall Jersey native. Miscommunication between VsK and Delta caused enough disruption that Titus was able to come back and knock Delta out with a mountain bomb. After Delta was pinned, VsK rolled up Titus, hooked the tights, and stole the victory and his second Gold Rush Rumble.
GOLD RUSH RUMBLE WINNER: VsK
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