
How many days does it take to recover from Wrevolution X 2016, the show some wrestling fans have called the greatest outing by the Philippine Wrestling Revolution to date? If you're like us, the answer is nearly two weeks, just to make sure that emotions aren't still riding high, and that the opinions and analysis laid forth are as rational and reasonable as can be.
(Or, we've just been too damn busy to write this thing up, and are looking for an excuse to not look like lazy jabronis.)
Either way, the fact remains: If pro wrestling is meant to be a spectacle of entertainment, then this year's WrevoX delivered in spades. From intricate chain wrestling to surprise showbiz appearances to death-defying leaps to rollicking upsets, you would be hard-pressed to find a show better than the 13th official show in PWR history.
These were the major plotlines heading into the show:
- How would the ongoing rivalry between Jake De Leon and Ralph Imabayashi affect each man's attempt to dethrone "Classical" Bryan Leo in the PWR Championship Triple Threat?
- Who would lose his job: Mr. Sy as PWR General Manager, or KC Montero as co-host of "The GOAT" on FOX Philippines? And what kind of involvement would each man have with their respective representatives in a career-versus-career match between Chris Panzer and John Sebastian?
- Would Rederick Mahaba finally climax with joy after locking his Jaccolade on James "Idol" Martinez after a months-long chase, or would he have to join The Network?
- What kind of spectacular theatrics and brutality would we witness between The Apocalypse and Kanto Terror in their All-Out War, and between Bombay Suarez and Peter Versoza in their First Blood Match?
- Would Miguel Rosales of the Fighters 4 Hire be able to shake off his concussion-induced ring rust and prove he can be a player in the singles division against the cocky Ken Warren, who had unceremoniously fired F4H as his bodyguards at the previous show?
- Who among "The Golden Boy" Chino Guinto, SANDATA, Crystal, Yohann "#YOLO" Ollores, Trabajador Uno, Vintendo, Joey Bax, and Mark D. Manalo would earn the unenviable task of facing the gargantuan Main Maxx for his PHX Championship in the first ever PHX Gauntlet Match? And what kind of opposition would the challenger be able to mount after surviving a grueling 8-wrestler marathon?
To be clear, Wrevolution X wasn't a perfect show. Pacing, production, and polish can always be improved. But after nearly two calendar years of existence, it's great to see that the promotion that provided a rebirth to the Philippine wrestling scene is putting on a more refined show than it ever has, and that can only be a good thing for the local fan community.
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Ramon Bautista and Stanley Chi agree. |
*****
The Fantastic
There's A New King of PWR, and His Name Is JDL
Almost exactly one year after "The Senyorito" Jake De Leon outlasted Bombay Suarez to become the first PWR Champion at Wrevolution X, only to lose it almost immediately to the nefarious schemings of "Classical" Bryan Leo, the popular Haciendero is back on top of Philippine wrestling for a second time.
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Reunited and it feels so good. |
From the get-go, it was clear that De Leon had his eyes locked onto the Big Gold Belt of Philippine wrestling, friendships be damned. Right off the bat, he initiated a tenuous alliance with Imabayshi to pummel the defending champion with a long double-team sequence.
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Imabayashi goes low on Bryan Leo. |
Leo, for his part, did a masterful job fighting back with his encyclopedic submisssion repertoire, proving once and for all that he is the finest technical wrestler in the Philippines today. Flowing seamlessly from armlocks to headlocks to leglocks and beyond, the Classical One was a surgeon in the ring.
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"Classical" Bryan Leo: A first world man of 1,005 holds. |
Imabayashi played the wild card role to perfection, throwing his body around with the swiftness of a coursing river in his quest to once again be "the Man" of PWR. He may not have the heft of the Senyorito nor the technical precision of Bryan Leo, but he is pure passion in the ring, turning in one of the match's main highlights with a soaring Kamikaze Elbow from the top rope to both De Leon and Leo as they battled among the iAcademy crowd on the outside.
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Bombs away, Ralph-style. |
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Bryan Leo breaks bad on poor Matt Roxas. |
Little did he know that the tables would turn, in more ways than one. As he called out to the crowd for a
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We hear "Table For 3" is a great show on the WWE Network. |
If you haven't had the chance to see any PWR action yet, this is the one match you must see. Whether you're looking for outrageous athleticism, hardcore bumps, aerial artistry, smashmouth slobberknockery, or pure catch wrestling, this contest had it all. These three men are the pinnacle of talent in PWR today, and it's a shame only one could rise above as the new PWR Champion.
And come on, it was nice seeing Imabayashi and De Leon reconcile after the past few months of bad blood. Their bro-hug at the end gives all of us peace as die-hard fans of both men.
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Friends once more. |
Chant of the match: "Doc-tor Kwak-Kwak!" from the crowd as Bryan Leo had Jake De Leon tied up in knots with his various submissions. Was it disrespectful as heck to the Classical One's technical skills? Of course it was, but it was laugh-out-loud fun too.
Spot of the match: What else could there be but that jawdropping Sonic Crusher-Painful Classic Wreckage combo through the ringside tables?
Say Hello To The Bad Worst Guy
On the PWR roster, few have succeeded the way John Sebastian has in getting the crowd to boo their heads off every time he steps in to do combat. With his grating, nasal voice, incendiary promos, and annoyingly straggly goatee, the man was born to be a heel, and he's done his job famously as PWR's ultimate bad guy.
Having said that, my God, we hate KC Montero. As he made his entrance to accompany John Sebastian against Chris Panzer, with his job as co-host of FOX Philippines' "The GOAT" on the line against that of PWR General Manager Mr. Sy, the man oozed a sly cockiness that would make you want to kick his teeth in—if only he didn't have the biceps to clean your clock first. His pre-match promo eviscerating everyone in the arena was painfully on the money, from calling Chris Panzer the hottest chick in PWR to deriding Mr. Sy as a Chinese lesbian (his words, not ours!).
Montero was in his element as an over-the-top obnoxious jerk, and it would be a joy to see him become a regular part of the organization's plans in the future. He's probably the worst person we've ever met as PWR fans.
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Baby Cesaro meets Baby Nakamura. |
Meanwhile, the actual match between Sebastian and Panzer was good fun in itself. Sebastian is a genuine mechanic in the ring, and Panzer is a master at getting the crowd into his corner. Panzer, in particular, had a bit of extra aggression in his pocket; he clearly hadn't forgiven Sebastian for costing him the PHX Championship way back at PWR Live: Manila Madness.
It seemed that Panzer was on his way to successfully protecting Mr. Sy's job as General Manager after pulverizing the Ace-Hole with a top-rope Frog Splash a la Eddie Guerrero, which he appropriately calls El Guerrero. Desperate to protect his job, Montero hopped up on the apron to berate referee Ben Vitacion, leading to an exasperated Chris Panzer nailing him full in the face with a devastating Panzerschreck.
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"Yo KC, tell me how my foot tastes." |
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KIIIIIIIIILLSHOT! |
Montero and Sebastian continued their jerkface tour de force, calling a despondent Sy into the ring. The two men cruelly dangled an opportunity for Sy to save his job by shaking Montero's hand, only for his nemesis to land a huge low blow to the Sy family jewels.
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KC Montero goes nuts on Mr. Sy's.. well, nuts. |
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What does John Sebastian have in common with YC Bikini Brief? He's a man that packs a wallop. |
Spot of the match: The Killshot is our favorite finisher in PWR right now, and it was nice seeing Sebastian land it on Panzer with a double dose of extra mustard.
The PHX Scene Is Rocking
When PWR launched its Philippine Hybrid X (PHX) division to serve as the fusion arena for the varied styles employed across the talent roster, it made one thing very clear: This is not a secondary division.
To be honest, the 8-wrestler PHX Gauntlet Match to determine a #1 contender for PHX Champion Main Maxx dragged on excessively in parts. The individual segments would have made fine matches on their own, but when chained together, got to be tiresome.
Some wrestlers, like The Network's "Golden Boy" Chino Guinto and the masked SANDATA, came away looking like stars, with two eliminations each. Yohann "#YOLO" Ollores looks like he could be on the rise as an infuriating star heel on the strength of his entrance alone—riding out on a hoverboard, sipping a Venti Orange Mochaccino, while his personal DJ played out his theme. And Crystal always puts on a good show with her versatile ring game.
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Crystal putting the hurt on the Golden Boy. |
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New PR: #YOLO. |
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SANDATA takes Chino Guinto to the durrrty South. |
But there's no denying The Golden Boy was clearly running on fumes after spending nearly half an hour dispatching both SANDATA and Crystal, and had almost nothing left against the mammoth PHX Champion. Maxx didn't have to work too hard for his paycheck, even breaking out his rarely-seen Maxximum Mutilation submission to showboat to the crowd.
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Main Maxx shows us why he just may be the #PerfectHybrid. |
Despite a funny sequence where Guinto mistakenly thought he had finally won the PHX Championship, only to eat a Blitzkrieg Bomb for the official loss, most of the energy had been sucked out of the arena by then. Rather than being red-hot for the PHX match (which was decent, by the way, but hardly groundbreaking), the crowd remained stuck in quiet respect of Main Maxx's dominance.
Tl;dr: The 8-Wrestler PHX Gauntlet and subsequent PHX Championship defense were wonderful ways to put the division in the spotlight, but tighter, crisper action and storytelling might have helped keep the audience's energies afloat, and gotten the superbly-talented Perfect 10 of the Royal Flush the full-on ovation he deserves.
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Who can topple the PHX Champion from his reign? We're not even going to try. |
Chant of the match: "Pang-three pata-aaaaaas!" directed at Chino Guinto for his stature and emotional maturity. Never thought we'd hear that on a wrestling show.
Spot of the match: SANDATA's top-rope Pagbasag onto Chino Guinto. The Pinoy Tecnico landed the move of his life, and the crowd knew it, serenading him with a well-deserved "Holy shit! Holy shit!" chant.
Miguel Rosales Is Back, and More Ruthless Than Ever
Everyone knows the Fighters 4 Hire tag team is for real, especially after both Miguel Rosales and Joey Bax put on credible showings at last year's PHX Championship Tournament. But while Bax has struggled at times in cementing his place in singles competition while his partner was out with a concussion, we may have just seen the birth of a budding singles star in Miguel Rosales.
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If that doesn't spell "Ruthless," we don't know what does. |
Rosales had the welcome mat to Barangay Suplex out early, but couldn't seem to gain much headway against the resilient Warren. Every time the former PHX Champion looked like he was in trouble, he would find a way to wriggle back into control, whether it was strategically-placed low blows or using the ropes for leverage as he went for pinfall attempts.
But the Ruthless One was gunning on all cylinders, and after evading Warren's WiFi superkick, he would not be denied. PWR's new Punisher put away the self-proclaimed "Human Trending Topic" with a single mean-as-hell Castigo Brutal for the three-count, and a definite contender for upset of the year.
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Warren won't be walking for a week after this one. |
Where will this leave the Fighters 4 Hire though? The tag team scene in PWR is potentially rich with competition, with the Network, Beer Promdi, Los Trabajadores, and the Royal Flush currently in play. Meanwhile, we've heard rumors of a pair of talented tag teams making waves in developmental. With this taste of singles success be too tempting for Rosales to ignore, or will his brotherhood with the floundering Joey Bax prevail?
Ken Warren's next step is a mystery as well. Ever since losing his PHX Championship last March, the "OG of IG" has seemed lost. He's now back to his ice-cold ways after dropping three straight decisions, and we're sure this loss will have him doing some soul-searching.
We're excited about Miguel Rosales making a name for himself. Let's hope it isn't at the expense of Ken Warren.
Spot of the match: Ring rust? What ring rust? Miguel Rosales one-upped himself by nailing Ken Warren with a stunning somersault senton on the outside, showing us all there's more to the man than a bunch of fancy suplexes.
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Rosales hasn't missed a beat. |
*****
The Could-Have-Been-Better
The All-Out War Ends With... A Beer Bucket?
First things first—how bad-ass does The Apocalypse look with his new "Red Messiah" gear? Adorned with a crown of thorns and a bloody veil as PWR's resident monster made his way to the ring, everyone knew it was time for a new era of destruction. And when he whipped off the veil to reveal his cruel new mask, we pretty much knew Kanto Terror was in for the ass-whooping of his life.
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Now that is a makeover! |
To be fair, the bar is set pretty high when it comes to All Out War matches. Its pioneering incarnation at Vendetta 2015, after all, is when the since-departed Mayhem Brannigan dazzled us all with his legendary second-floor dive onto a squadron of foes. So seeing it devolve into a Mexican showdown of plastic beer buckets and a half-hearted run-in by Mark D. Manalo on behalf of his Beer Promdi partner was a bit of a come-down. Apocalypse won after putting away both Manalo and KT with a pair of Death Bells, putting the feud to a merciful end.
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Death Bells ringing for Kanto Terror. |
This should also be Kanto Terror's wakeup call as well. Some people have called him a one-trick pony since his PWR debut—could he be in for a reinvention as well?
Chant of the match: "Tapusin! Tapusin!" The Revo-Nation can get pretty rowdy when they smell blood, and it seemed they were just as eager to see Apoc finally put the nail in Beer Promdi's lengthy vendetta against him.
Spot of the match: We never get tired of Apocalypse going nuts with his plancha. More of this, please.
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Death from above. |
Rederick Mahaba Gets His Revenge
Speaking of reinventions, did anyone see Rederick Mahaba's evolution from token squashee to crowd favorite coming? Just half a year after getting his ass utterly dismantled by Main Maxx in his in-ring debut, the man has evolved into a solid performer in the ring and one of PWR's most beloved stars today.
His opening match victory over James "Idol" Martinez of The Network was one of the most satisfying moments in PWR history, as he finally got to stuff the Top of the Pyramid's face into a hot, steaming mound of those sweet, sweet adobo-flavored nuts after months of chase.
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This segment was brought to you by Hapi Peanut. |
But boy, did he have to earn it.
Who would have thought a certified 300-pounder like the King of Schlong Style could take to the air like a B-52 Bomber, dropping the entire Network with a 10-foot dive from the top rope to the outside?
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If you didn't take Rederick Mahaba seriously before, you should now. |
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Idol meant business, and we're buying in. |
Forget everything you think you know about both Rederick Mahaba and James Martinez as comic novelty acts; the two men are legit, passionate professionals who live and breathe their art from bell to bell. Bravo.
But when you get down to the bottom of things, this was a paper-thin match defined by three main moments: Mahaba's top-rope dive, Idol's second-story bodypress, and the concluding Jaccolade. We would have loved the chance to see both gladiators show us a little more of what they've got.
Spot of the match: Y'all wanted second floor? Idol is all about second floor.
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James "Idol" Martinez: Second-Story Saint. |
Versoza Draws Blood
We desperately wanted to fall in love with the First Blood match between Peter Versoza of the Royal Flush, and "Bitch Killer" Bombay Suarez, but something felt like it was missing. But perhaps that's because we've been trained as fans to expect only the best from these two wrestlers in particular.
Both men are arguably the two purest athletes on the PWR roster, so we all pretty much knew this would be a high-octane affair. Bombay, with his skills honed in the Philippine underground fight scene, and Versoza, whose infamous "party boy" lifestyle has drawn more than a few raised eyebrows, seemed like natural opponents, and we saw how evenly both men were matched at last January's PWR Live: Road to Vendetta, when Bombay eked out a narrow win.
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Bombay makes Peter famous. |
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Bombay gets some iron in his diet—the hard way. |
Peter Versoza's career has clearly been on the upswing ever since joining the Royal Flush as its "Jack of All Babes"; he's undefeated since joining the crew, showing us one more piece of evidence on how joining up with Bryan Leo can be a career-changing move for any man. The man has unlimited upside, and we'd love to see him turn 2016 into the year of P to the V.
Bombay, on the other hand, falls below .500 with this disappointing loss. With news as well that Malaysia Pro Wrestling (MyPW) is stripping him of his prized Extreme Division Championship, he literally has nothing to fight for now. Let's hope he doesn't get lost in the shuffle as more and more new stars pop up from PWR's Bootcamp system; he's a true original and a real star. Keep an eye on him for his next career move.
Spot of the match: Not strictly a part of the match was Versoza unleashing his feral side, grinding a catatonic Bombay's face into the baseball bat, causing a torrent of blood to come flooding out. This new wicked side to the Royal Flush's "Jack of all Babes" fascinates us big time.
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Versoza just beat Bombay at his own game. |
*****
The Meh
Nothing of note. But that's no surprise. We're at peak Philippine Wrestling Revolution right now, and the sky's the limit for this defiant crew of warriors.
*****
Final Thoughts
Overall, Wrevolution X 2016 was one hell of a show that put a satisfying close to several arcs and rivalries that have been building up the past few months. The show hit all the right beats as far as providing a comprehensive entertainment experience is concerned. Some minor niggles on production aside, PWR just set the bar even higher for its next show—and that's a great thing too.
Every show has its stars, and we're more than happy to name the ones that shone the brightest that night.
"The Senyorito" Jake De Leon may have earned his second reign as PWR Champion, and would have been an obvious choice for this shout-out on any other night. But we needed to give some shine to the man who carried Philippine Wrestling Revolution for the past few months, "Classical" Bryan Leo.
He may no longer be champ, but it's hard to deny he wrestled one hell of a match against formidable odds. It takes balls to put gold on the line against opponents the caliber of JDL and Ralph Imabayashi, and for all the shit Leo threw their way, he played a big-time game. He may be the man everyone loves to hate, but for this one night, we were all lapping at his feet.
The PHX Gauntlet had its moments—particularly during the SANDATA-Guinto-Crystal end-game—but was bogged down by its exhausting length. So we have no problem at all handing over some praise to arguably the greatest PWR match to date, the PWR Championship Triple Threat.
What do you get when you mix JDL, CBL, and some Ralphamania into one match? Pure magic, apparently.
Wrestling is theater, but one man dared to turn it into a Michael Bay movie: James "Idol" Martinez.
His second-story leap is the stuff legends are made of, and whatever happens next with The Network, know that people will be speaking of his dive for years to come.
When you've been in the spotlight for as long as a man like Jake De Leon or "Classical" Bryan Leo, we suppose it becomes easier to wrestle an A-game. But what's extra amazing is when a young whippersnapper comes from out of nowhere to surprise us all. And nobody shocked us like "The Golden Boy" Chino Guinto.
In only his fourth official match on the PWR roster, he was a dazzler, clawing his way to victory in the PHX Gauntlet, and never backing down against a fresh and well-rested Main Maxx. Big things are coming for this dude, just you wait.
So as several chapters closed, a whole slew of new ones opened up as well. Watch out for these following threads to pick up in the next few months:
Every show has its stars, and we're more than happy to name the ones that shone the brightest that night.
Star of the Night
"The Senyorito" Jake De Leon may have earned his second reign as PWR Champion, and would have been an obvious choice for this shout-out on any other night. But we needed to give some shine to the man who carried Philippine Wrestling Revolution for the past few months, "Classical" Bryan Leo.
He may no longer be champ, but it's hard to deny he wrestled one hell of a match against formidable odds. It takes balls to put gold on the line against opponents the caliber of JDL and Ralph Imabayashi, and for all the shit Leo threw their way, he played a big-time game. He may be the man everyone loves to hate, but for this one night, we were all lapping at his feet.
Match of the Night
The PHX Gauntlet had its moments—particularly during the SANDATA-Guinto-Crystal end-game—but was bogged down by its exhausting length. So we have no problem at all handing over some praise to arguably the greatest PWR match to date, the PWR Championship Triple Threat.
What do you get when you mix JDL, CBL, and some Ralphamania into one match? Pure magic, apparently.
Spot of the Night
Wrestling is theater, but one man dared to turn it into a Michael Bay movie: James "Idol" Martinez.
His second-story leap is the stuff legends are made of, and whatever happens next with The Network, know that people will be speaking of his dive for years to come.
Revelation of the Night
When you've been in the spotlight for as long as a man like Jake De Leon or "Classical" Bryan Leo, we suppose it becomes easier to wrestle an A-game. But what's extra amazing is when a young whippersnapper comes from out of nowhere to surprise us all. And nobody shocked us like "The Golden Boy" Chino Guinto.
In only his fourth official match on the PWR roster, he was a dazzler, clawing his way to victory in the PHX Gauntlet, and never backing down against a fresh and well-rested Main Maxx. Big things are coming for this dude, just you wait.
What's Next for PWR?
So as several chapters closed, a whole slew of new ones opened up as well. Watch out for these following threads to pick up in the next few months:
- What's next for the General Manager position? Mr. Sy may not have been universally popular, but he ran a tight ship, consistently assembling stellar cards and growing PWR to new heights since he took rein of the horse. Whoever comes in next will have massive shoes to fill. And is there any retribution in store for Chris Panzer for failing to protect the post? Wait and see, Revo-Nation.
- Who's stepping up as "The Senyorito" Jake De Leon's first challenger for the PWR Championship? We'd gladly love to see him and "Classical" Bryan Leo #FightForever, but we also wouldn't mind seeing some fresh blood injected into the title picture. Chino Guinto and Peter Versoza strike us as interesting new match-ups for the Heir to Hacienda De Leon. The Apocalypse seems to be revitalized with his new look. And what of the imposing "Machine" Mavericc Knight, who's been pulverizing the opposition on the pre-show circuit? That belt might be shining bright around JDL's waist, but the future is dark as far as potential contenders are concerned.
- Who will be man enough to topple Main Maxx from the top of the PHX division? PWR's own man-beast has been nearly indestructible since his return to PWR, and looks to be in his prime. Will Miguel Rosales parlay his new-found singles success into a championship match? Will Crystal assert herself as the first female champion in the promotion's records? And what about Rederick Mahaba, who certainly hasn't forgotten the humiliation Maxx put him through all those months ago.
- Has the Royal Flush's faith been shaken in its King, Bryan Leo, after all its other members—John Sebastian, Main Maxx, and Peter Versoza—emerged unscathed from their respective battles? Managing a group of egos that big is like driving a pack of wild horses; one slip is all it takes to break your neck. Could the Kingship of the Flush be under threat for the first time?
- Where do PWR originals like Ken Warren, and Bombay Suarez go after their heartbreaking upset losses? Both are former PHX Champions, but may have fallen to the bottom of the contender ranks after losing their matches.
- With Mark D. Manalo seemingly headed on a collision course with Yohann Ollores, where does this leave Kanto Terror? Is Beer Promdi going on hiatus again after a too-short reunion?
- How will James "Idol" Martinez recover from the embarrassment he suffered? And more importantly, how much Listerine did he need to get the taste of Rederick Mahaba's #CamelCrotch out of his mouth? The Network needs to regroup—and fast!—after coming up empty at Wrevolution X.
What was your favorite moment from the event, Henrinites? Got any bets on who the next General Manager of PWR is going to be? Let us know your thoughts below, and don't forget to check out the official Philippine Wrestling Revolution website for up-to-the-minute news flashes and roster updates.
On with the revolution!
*****
All photos are by the swagtastic Hub Pacheco.