ICYMI: Dante Drago doesn’t make announcement, breaks protocol and makes statement instead, captures New York State Championship. Full results from VPW 166: Sanctified

For the first time in the history of the Gold Rush Rumble, the winner chose to not make an announcement but instead, cash in his Gold Rush Rumble Challenge immediately on the spot. This unprecedented move lead to The Frat Star to capturing the New York State championship just moments after Dezmond Cole recaptured the prize after a vicious I Quit match at Sanctified.

Starting the show was the Frat Star, along with the Rock Star Nick Robles, representing Delta House and the 2023 Gold Rush Rumble challenge. Drago announced he would have liked to have taken the time off to think about making a choice, but said he would make his announcement at a later date. Instead, Delta House was there to finish what they started in Connecticut and that was to get rid of the Even Stevens and Pretty Likeable.

DELTA HOUSE def. PRETTY LIKEABLE (Steve Somerset/Johnny Collins)

• A back and forth contest featuring some incredible talent between the returning Johnny Collins, former tag champion Steve Somerset, and the Gold Rush Rumble winner Dante Drago.
• Collins and Somerset had a miscue that lead to the downfall as Delta House picked up the win.

FEASTMODE BOBBY BUFFET def. THE ARTIST JAKE LANG

• 2023 was not good for Dr Cool Jay Klang, and after a series of losses. including failing to pick up the Gold Rush Rumble despite drawing #20 and a victory over the debuting Lucas Chase when VPW was in Connecticut in August. The new look of the tortured soul of Jake Lang showed a more vicious side of him that we’ve seen before, but it wasn’t enough to overcome Buffet.

CAIN INDUSTRIES (Adam Cain/Anthony Gangone) def. WORKING CLASS (Diego el Trabajador/Sweeper)

• The fans were hot for the new duo in Diego and Sweeper, and while they were able to keep up with Cain Industries, the numbers game with having Silk E Smooth outside the ring kept Working Class from overcoming the experience factor brought by Cain and Gangone.

Security Inc’s Ronnie Moses then came to the ring to address the VPW Faithful about the actions recently transpiring between him and his Security Inc partner Guard Dog Malcom Murray. Moses mentioned how Murray was going to use a chair to take down Zander Torres at VPW Battle in Bay Shore, but it would have cost them their title opportunity. Moses apologized to Moses’ family and to the fans in attendance before The Miasma Zakk Ramses came to the ring. The almost 7′ tall Ramses offered his hand to Moses, but then made Moses regret it with a knee to the midsection. Ramses then called for a referee.

THE MIASMA ZAKK RAMSES def. OFFICER RONNIE MOSES

• Moses fought off Ramses in this contest but between the underhanded attack to start the match and the mental and emotional distractions, it was difficult for Moses to focus, leading the path to victory for Ramses.

TOP CONTENDERS MATCH – VPW CHAMPIONSHIP
TRIPLE THREAT RULES
BRYCE DONOVAN def. KAIDE LOTHBROK & ERIC JAMES

• Former VPW Champion Eric James, former VPW Tag Team Champion Bryce Donovan, and 2020 King of New York Kaide Lothbrok set for battle to determine who would next challenge Jack Tomlinson for the Victory Pro Wrestling championship. All three competitors had a stake to claim for the top spot: Eric James is the former VPW Champion, Kaide Lothbrok came up short in his opportunity for the championship, and Bryce Donovan’s opportunity was ruined when Jack Tomlinson interfered in Donovan’s championship match.
• This triple threat collision had the fans at the edges of their seats with rallies behind Eric James before Bryce Donovan was able to pick up the victory.

VPW TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIPS
CHAMPIONS THE RAT BASTARDS (Adam Kirkland/Zander Torres) def. MARVELOUS & JJ DOZE

• The stock behind Monster Factory’s Marvelous has risen in the Northeast and the mystery behind JJ Doze could only keep these two on the same page for so long before the champions were able to plant the seed and start to create dissention between the two.
• After the match, Rock Star Nick Robles entered the ring as Dante Drago appeared from behind the retaining champions and fans anticipated Drago would use this as an opportunity to announce that they would be meeting the Rat Bastards for Dante’s Gold Rush Rumble Challenge, but instead, Drago handed the championships over to Kirkland and Torres.

VPW WOMENS’ CHAMPIONSHIP
CHAMPION VALENTINA VASQUEZ def. “HOLA HOLA NAHIR ROBLES

• Valentina Vasquez’ latest challenge came to her from San Juan, Puerto Rico, with the debuting Nahir Robles. Robles had a strong attack against the champion, keeping Vasquez off balance during the match. A cross body knocked the air from both competitors, and while Robles and Vasquez tried to catch their breath, The Unforgiven Salem stalked the ring, holding the VPW Women’s Championship, looking back and forth between Valentina and the title. Inside the ring, both Vasquez and Robles were back on their feet before the champion took down her challenger with a Codebreaker. That’s when Vasquez noticed Salem was her championship belt outside the ring. Distracted, this allowed Robles to come to a close 3 count, but the experience of the “Forever Champion” allowed Vasquez to pick up the win.
• After the match, Vasquez went to the outside to grab her championship from Salem, who pulled it back, staking claim to what she believes is hers. Vasquez was able to reclaim the VPW Womens’ Championship, but then Salem started throwing arms and both Vasquez and Salem had to be pulled apart by the officials and escorted to the back.

VPW NEW YORK STATE CHAMPIONSHIP
I QUIT MATCH
DA BIG BOOFA DEZMOND COLE def. CHAMPION LEO SPARROW *** TITLE CHANGE ***

• When Dezmond Cole lost the championship in April, it was due to referee stoppage. Senior Official Steven Dumeng felt that despite Cole’s insistence he continue, the damage done to his knee during the contest was too much and awarded the championship to Leo Sparrow. Tonight, there would no referee stoppage. No disqualifications, no count outs, no pinfalls, and no tapping out. The only way the contest could end is with Dezmond Cole or Leo Sparrow saying “I Quit”
• The battle did not stay in the ring too long as Sparrow and Cole battled to the outside. At one point, Sparrow threw Cole into the cage wall of the venue, with Cole returning the favor. Back inside the ring, things went chaotic as various tools were introduced into the match, including baking pans, chairs, and a Kendo stick.
• Cole had control for most of the match, but Sparrow was resilient. The champion used a Kendo stick on Cole’s knee in retaliation in what could have ended Da Big Boofa’s challenge, but Cole continued to fight on.
• At one point Cole locked Sparrow in a submission, where Sparrow was put to sleep. However, unable to say “I Quit”, the match continued. Cole went to the outside, grabbed a bottle of water, and splashed it on Sparrow to revive him before the match continued.
• Cole reintroduced the broken Kendo stick before locking in a cross-face submission to finally get the “I Quit” from Leo Sparrow, ending Sparrow’s undefeated streak and his reign as New York State champion!

After the match, Cole stared down the former champion before Sparrow went to the back. The new New York State Champion addressed the fans and started to talk about before the microphone cut off. Then the lights went out. With the lights back on, Dante Drago was in the ring behind Dezmond Cole.

Drago then hit Cole with his paddle before demanding to cash in his Gold Rush Rumble Challenge immediately, right there and then. VPW Commissioner Kevin Fulton and Drago went back and forth, as the Gold Rush Rumble Challenge was to be an announcement, not a “cash in,” but referee Gina Monti slid in the ring, rang the bell, and started the match.

NEW YORK STATE CHAMPIONSHIP
GOLD RUSH RUMBLE CHALLENGE
DANTE DRAGO def CHAMPION DA BIG BOOFA DEZMOND COLE *** TITLE CHANGE ***

• Drago quickly targeted the already weak knee, then a knee to the face before covering Cole and capturing his first championship in Victory Pro Wrestling.

The fans were torn after the match after watching Dezmond Cole scratch and claw his way to victory just moments before the Frat Star capitalized by using his Gold Rush Rumble Challenge.

What will happen Saturday night October 14 when Victory Pro Wrestling returns to Pro Game Athletics in Bay Shore for Hallowed Ground?

Pro Game Athletics is an air conditioned facility and the home of Victory Pro Wrestling with over 13,000 square feet for batting practice, soccer, and plenty of room to enjoy a night of live wrestling action. Pro Game Athletics is located just minutes away from the heart of Bay Shore and just five minutes away from the South Shore Mall.

Food and beverages will be available for sale.

You don’t want to miss Victory Pro Wrestling when we return to Bay Shore!!