The 2023 Gold Rush Rumble featured surprises, debuts, and history as the stars of Victory Pro Wrestling rolled into Bay Shore in this action packed event.
Da Big Boofa Dezmond Cole started the show off to make a couple of announcements. First, he acknowledged that he lost the New York State Championship to Leo Sparrow a couple of months earlier due to a weakened knee. Cole showed the fans that his knee was back at 100% and that at VPW Sanctified in September, Cole would challenge Leo Sparrow for the New York State Championship.
Cole then announced that he was officially declaring himself to be in the Gold Rush Rumble match later in the evening and asked the fans how “Dezmond Two Belts” sounded, showing that Cole wants to be the second ever double-champion in VPW history.
VPW WOMEN’S CHAMPIONSHIP TOP CONTENDERS MATCH
The Unforgiven Salem def. Mother Endless and Evie de la Rosa
- Evie de la Rosa returns to VPW for the first time since 2020, while Mother Endless and The Unforgiven Salem make their VPW debut
- Evie de la Rosa looking for sportsmanship and a good clean fight. Salem seemingly accepted it while Mother Endless chose violence.
- Evie saved Salem several times during the match, but Salem seemed to be more about trying to win at any costs.
- Mother Endless took out Evie with a devastating Wasteland slam. Salem saw this opening and rolled up Endless for the victory.
VPW TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIPS
Champions The Rat Bastards def. Security Inc
- Before the match started, Adam Kirkland and Zander Torres wanted to wish a special “happy birthday” to Guard Dog Malcom Murray’s daughter before taunting Murray for being a deadbeat dad, choosing to wrestle instead of being with his family. This sparked an explosion from Murray and Officer Ronnie Moses that lead to a brawl around ringside and throughout the building.
- Once the action got back to the ring, the Rat Bastards took control. Torres and Kirkland double teamed Murray and taunted the fans in the process.
- Once Murray tagged Moses in the ring, things turned to the favor of Security Inc. But the numbers game proved to be an issue, especially with Murray on the sidelines.
- Torres introduced a chair and looked to take out Moses, but Murray came in to make the save. Grabbing the chair, Murray looked to use it to exact revenge as Torres taunted him to use the weapon, but Moses was able to get back into the action, knocking down Kirkland and Torres before pleading with his partner.
- Torres tried to capitalize but Murray ducked the attack before spearing him to the outside. This left Kirkland in the ring alone with the chair, and with the referee distracted Kirkland used the chair on Moses to knock him out and score the victory.
VPW WOMEN’S CHAMPIONSHIP
Champion Valentina Vasquez def. Kelsey Raegan
- The debuting Kelsey Raegan does not get paid by the hour, as she went right after Valentina Vasquez once the bell started, with a series of surprise pinfall attempts.
- The action spilled to the outside where the champion finally gained control but Raegan proved to be a tougher challenge than she expected.
- A rip cord elbow followed with a running hip attack in the corner almost sealed the deal for Raegan but Valentina continued on. The challenger followed with a beautiful Japanese death lock but was too close to the ropes.
- Raegen followed up with a modified Labell Lock but Vasquez was able to roll it into a pinfall for two.
- A DDT by Raegan scored a two count, but Vasquez rolled the challenger into a pinfall for the victory.
TWO-ON-ONE HANDICAP MATCH
Yoscifer El def. Diego el Trabajador & Sweeper
- Diego el Trabajador and Sweeper entered the ring to await their opponent Yoscifer El, who came through the audience with a barbarian whistle.
- The action started quickly as Yoscifer tore apart Diego and Sweeper.
- A double team attack mounted by Diego and Sweeper looked hopeful but a double dropkick from Yoscifer took both opponents out.
- A rolling Death Valley Driver to Diego and a powerbomb to Sweeper gave Yoscifer El the victory.
VPW NEW YORK STATE CHAMPIONSHIP
Champion Leo Sparrow def. Brother Greatness
- The action started with Brother Greatness and Leo Sparrow trading blows.
- Greatness gained control and connected with a beautiful dropkick that sent Sparrow to the outside. Greatness followed and continued the attack before bringing the champion back to the ring.
- Sparrow regained control with a military press slam into the top rope, choking Greatness and knocking the wind out of him. Sparrow pulled out a double chop reminiscent of Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat, taunting the fans afterward.
- Greatness fired back and looked to take the win but Sparrow kept fighting back. Using a fistful of kale, Sparrow almost stole the win.
- Greatness went to the top rope to connect with a moonsault but was caught on the landing, Sparrow kicking him, and then rolling up Greatness for the victory.
TAG TEAM ACTION
The Slimeballs def. ABBS and Loverboy
- Slimeball Sage taunted ABBS and the fans to start the match, but ABBS picked up the momentum for his team. After a tag to Loverboy though, Sage was able to regain control.
- Loverboy regained control and started to dance after every move, lighting up the ire of the Slimeballs. Sage grabbed the leg to take Loverboy down and distract the referee while Slimeball Rant used the ring post to take the advantage.
- Sage and Rant showed their tag team experience with back and forth tags and team sequences to dominate Loverboy.
- ABBS tagged in and cleared house, but as he and Loverboy were looking to finish off Sage, Rant connected with a spinebuster before connecting with their Slime Time finisher for the victory.
THE 2023 GOLD RUSH RUMBLE
The winner of the contest will earn the right to challenge for any sanctioned championship in Victory Pro Wrestling. The match will start with two participants, and a new participant will join the contest every 60 seconds until all 20 participants are in the Gold Rush Rumble.
Participants are eliminated from the contest after going over the top rope with both feet touching the ground.
THE FIRST TWO PARTICIPANTS
- Dante Drago – he drew #1 as part of the “First or Last” qualifier match in July.
- Absolute Alvin Alvarez – Alvin’s fourth Gold Rush Rumble appearance.
Dante tried to intimate Alvin to no avail. Alvin would jaw jack back to Dante who smacked him and infuriated Alvarez.
- Moonshot Max St Giovanni – making his VPW debut with an attack right at Drago
- Even Stevens’ Stephen Azure – This is his third appearance in the Gold Rush Rumble
- Evil Kip Stevens – Evil Kip would taunt the fans by coming out to Phil Cardigan’s music and dance
- Will Strausman – making his VPW debut
- Will Strausman eliminated Max St Giovanni
- Cash Money Johnny Collins – winner of the 2021 Gold Rush Rumble
- JJ Doze – the lights would go out for the debut of JJ Doze
- Oxx Adams – the debut of the tallest member of this year’s Gold Rush Rumble
- The Red Right Hand Megan Mason – making her third appearance in the Gold Rush Rumble
- Alvin Alvarez looked to throw Evil Kip out of the ring but his momentum allowed Kip to reverse it and send Alvarez out.
- Evil Kip was eliminated
- Sebastian Amor – making his Gold Rush Rumble debut after his performance at the Battle in Bay Shore last month
- Sebastian presented roses to all the competitors, including Megan Mason, who smacked them out of his hand before eliminating him.
- The Thirst Trap Tristian Kyle – makes his VPW debut
- Da Big Boofa Dezmond Cole – making his third Gold Rush Rumble appearance
- The Miasma Zakk Ramses – making his Gold Rush Rumble debut
- Ramses and Adams challenged each other before Ramses dumped Adams out of the ring.
- The rest of the field joined together to dump Ramses out of the ring. Ramses and Adams would then battle to the back.
- El Magnifico – debuting in VPW
- El Magnifico would eliminate Megan Mason
- Bryce Donovan – his third Gold Rush Rumble appearance
- Will Strausman and Tristian Kyle would try to eliminate Bryce Donovan, but Donovan turned it around. Calling for assistance from Dezmond Cole, Da Big Boofa would hit a springboard dropkick to send Strausman out.
- Donovan would follow with a chokeslam from the apron to the outside to eliminate Tristian Kyle.
- Pat Fitzpatrick – his second Gold Rush Rumble appearance
- In a battle with Collins and Azure, Pat Fitzpatrick was in trouble. A miscue from Collins had Cash Money sending Azure to the floor, thus eliminating him.
- Pat Fitzpatrick would then eliminate Collins.
- Feast Mode Bobby Buffet – debuting in VPW
- The Infamous Adam Cain – his third Gold Rush Rumble appearance
- Bryce Donovan would be thrown over the top by Adam Cole but he would land on the apron. Delta House’s Nick Robles would pull the leg of Donovan, distracting him and allowing Dante Drago to hit with a low blow. Cain took advantage of this and eliminated Donovam.
- Jake Lang – winner of the “First or Last” qualifier match to draw #20.
- Lang would go right after Pat Fitzpatrick and eliminate him.
- JJ Doze would eliminate Adam Cain.
- Dante Drago would eliminate both El Magnifico and JJ Doze, leaving the final four of Dante Drago, Dezmond Cole, Bobby Buffet, and Jake Lane.
- Trying to eliminate Dezmond Cole, Cole from the outside would send everyone back. He would connect with an honor roll dropkick to send Bobby Buffet down and Cole would go to follow up with another move off the ropes… but Nick Robles was there to pull him to the outside. Robles would not get a chance to follow up as Cole would fight back until Leo Sparrow, from the fans’ side of the barricades, threw kale at Cole. Robles would send Cole in the ring and Dante Drago would use his momentum to send Dezmond Cole to the back.
- Bobby Buffet would eliminate Jake Lang… except Lang would fight back and use Buffet’s momentum to send Feast Mode back to the locker room.
- A series of back and forth between Lang, the #20 seed, and Drago, the #1 seed, would have them on the outside. Back and forth, Lang would send Drago back into the ring with a clothesline. Drago would come back, then send Lang packing to pick up the win.
After the match, Dante Drago said it could have been 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 it didn’t matter because at the end of the day it was Dante Drago winning the Gold Rush Rumble!
VICTORY PRO WRESTLING CHAMPIONSHIP TABLES MATCH
Jack Tomlinson def. Champion Eric James
No pinfall or submission would end this match. The only way to win is to throw your opponent through a wooden door
- Jack Tomlinson would come out singing, mocking Eric James with a version of “I Want It That Way”. Eric James would storm the ring and chase Tomlinson out of the ring before the ring announcer David Adams would make his official introductions.
- Senior official John Ryan would call the action between these two in tonight’s main event. Once the bell started, Tomlinson went right after the champion but James was ready for the attack.
- After throwing Jack Tomlinson outside the ring, the champion would sing to the crowd before returning to the attack. James would follow the challenger around the ring and continue to punish him before introducing the door and setting it up in the corner.
- Tomlinson went into desperation mode, throwing the door out of the ring and disappointing the crowd. James wouldn’t have it and would go back on the attack before looking to get the door back in the ring. Tomlinson prevented it with a dropkick, sending the action back outside the ring.
- Tomlinson would set up a table on the barricades and look to connect with an electric chair but instead sent James face first into the apron. Tomlinson would then throw chairs inside the ring before focusing on the champion. James would regain control using the chairs that Tomlinson introduced, but the challenger would regain control with a DDT onto a chair he set on the barricades.
- Back inside the ring, Tomlinson would re-set the table in a corner, which almost was his downfall. After trying to send James into the corner, Tomlinson was almost thrown through by a charging champion. Tomlinson sidestepped Eric and pulled the door down with the match continuing.
- The action went back and forth with Eric James finally regaining control, setting up the door in the corner, and sending….. referee John Ryan into the door?!? Tomlinson pulled the official in the way before escaping a loss and the match continued now without an official.
- Tomlinson would regain control for a short time before a buckle bomb in the corner and a springboard cutter to give the champion the advantage.
- The challenger would regain control long enough to set up a door on some chairs in the center of the ring, but Eric James would counter and power bomb him through the door, thus giving him the win…. except the referee was still out cold.
- Eric James would revive the official, then continue the onslaught and started to set up a set of chairs to lay down another door, but Tomlinson would spring up and connect with a subscriber stomp, then a spear into the door to claim victory and become the new Victory Pro Wrestling Champion!
After the match, Gold Rush Rumble winner Dante Drago would come out with Nick Robles. Jack Tomlinson was a little surprised to see Delta House come out. After holding the VPW Championship in his hands, Dante would eventually hand the title over. Could Dante Drago be targeting the new VPW Champion for his Gold Rush Challenge?
What will happen Saturday night October 14 when Victory Pro Wrestling returns to Pro Game Athletics in Bay Shore for Hallowed Ground?
VPW PRESENTS HALLOWED GROUND
Saturday October 14
Pro Game Athletics in Bay Shore
TICKETS ON SALE NOW
RINGSIDE SEATS – SOLD OUT
GENERAL ADMISSION – $25.00
General Admission tickets are first come, first served
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