This week’s homework assignment from the At Odds with Wrestling podcast is past weekend’s LVAC show live from Bethlehem, PA and available on IWTV. 

The show starts out with an amazing crowd, the largest in LVAC history, and it shows. A huge pop for Bryce Remsburg as he comes out. 

Kamen MK vs Blaxstrom vs Pancakes vs Jet Jaghori vs La Chica Clara Carreras vs Akuma.

Joe and Kevin Ford call the action. 

I was just wondering if Todd saw Clara before it was mentioned. She’s great. Lack of size does not mean lack of skill. We get a head scissors circle where everyone but Jet is locked in to each other. Jet stomps it open. Bryce is just chilling on the top turnbuckle. Four of the wrestlers are in a rowboat spot and there is a submission going on inside the boat. Blaxstrom makes Jet tap out to a modified Rings of Saturn. Real fun opener. 

The Boar and Erica Leigh vs Little Mean Kathleen and Rex Lawless. 

Amazing interaction between all four wrestlers. LMK sells so well. LMK and Erica tag each other’s partners! Erica takes the beating for the second part of the match. An Emerald City slam called Shades of Oz and a tribute to Kevin Nash! Everyone gets speared! Double big boot! This is great. 3D by Gummy Boar. Boar pins Rex. Rex pushes around LMK after the match. She stuns him. Big pop from the crowd. This show is on fire two matches in. 

Atomic Super Thunderfrog vs Puf (with Simon Sutherland).

Simon will give a $2 bill to some kid in the crowd for every two count. Ian Riccaboni joins Kevin Ford to call this match. No one can lift the Thunderfrog’s hammer! Puf lifts the hammer with Thunderfrog’s help. Frog lets go. Puf is held down by the hammer. Great sense of balance from Puf. Puf suplexes Frog to the outside. Puf with a big chokeslam for two. Frog hits Simon with the tiniest chair. Frog off the top and hits the mat with the hammer. The referee and Puf are knocked down by the force. Frog splash from Frog but there’s no referee. Frog drops the strap, Puf fights out, Frog flips over, Puf sits down, Puf gets the pin. Puf revives Frog after the match. 

The Batiri and Tracy Williams vs Frightmare, Ultramantis Black, and Eddie Kingston. 

OMG the Eddie and Tracy exchange. Holy shit. I love this work the arm spot and then the wrestler unknowingly works over his own partner. Frightmare with the knees to the ribs of one of the Batiri for the pin. Just a fun match. Real classic Chikara, like a homecoming. 

The Commish (with Billy Avery) comes out. There’s a table in the ring. But the Commish makes Billy be a table. Calls out Hydra. A challenge is laid out to Hydra. Hydra pushes Commish down and his head lands in a trash can. Billy sees an opportunity and kicks the Commish down. 

Myung Jae Lee and Havok vs Ultimate Ant and Razerwyng.

Fun match but some unfamiliarity on my part and a couple moments of miscommunication on theirs. Razerwyng messes up his ankle. Havoc gets Razer in some sort of camel clutch. Razer is out. Havoc and Lee win. Havoc tries to rip Razer’s mask off. Ultimo makes the save. Not a bad match but these guys were mostly new to me so I didn’t have as much invested as I would in other matches. 

We have a raffle! 

Davienne vs Gabby Ortiz. 

… but wait, there’s more! Someone is on the mic to make this match a three way. It’s Willow Nightingale! Super fun match. Everyone gets good moments. Crowd is way into it. Davi dropkicks Willow and Gabby into the post in a devastating move. Davi pins Gabby. How is Willow not officially signed to AEW? I know she has a shirt but where is the “Willow is All Elite” graphic? 

Hall of Famer Sidney Bakabella is out to the adoration of fans. 

Vita Von Starr, Logan Easton Leroux, Lucky 13, and Dan Champion vs Abby Jane, Cheeseburger, Delirious, and Orange Cassidy. 

Oh hello Vita. Abby on Cheeseburger’s shoulders to take down Big Dan. Lots of rope talk. Getting in all of the fun spots. Sidney distracts the faces. Vita with a full split foot to the neck of Cheeseburger. Delirious off of every rope which confuses the hell out of Logan. Delirious with nine leg drops before OC comes off the ropes. Big Dan has OC for a choke. Abby climbs Dan and dives onto everyone on the floor. Real close to being bad. Everyone hitting their finishers spot. OC with a chokeslam. Sidney in the ring. Sidney puts his hands in his pockets! OC takes the wig off of Sidney. Sidney gets kicked and slammed. All the faces hit their finishers on Dan. Delirious with a Shadows over Hell and the faces with a group pose for the pin. OC puts it over the top when he puts on Sidney’s wig. 

I think LVAC would be a perfect show to take a non or new wrestling fan to. Great action, funny spots, clear lines between heels and faces, and family friendly. I’ve watched wrestling for decades and enjoyed the hell out of the show. Bring on more LVAC (sounds like another one in October). There’s no homework assignment this week because there’s three live wrestling events this weekend and I plan on watching all three of them!