RIPTIDE RECAP: BRIGHTON CHAMPIONSHIP TOURNAMENT

Well that was one hell of a weekend huh! Riptide put on an incredible three nights of intense, action-packed, emotional, edge-of-the-seat wrestling, and we got to see the very first Brighton Champion crowned!

SPOILER ALERT - if you are avoiding the results of the Riptide Brighton Championship Tournament for any reason - do not read on!

I'll be revealing the outcome of every match and a few comments about each specific night, followed at the end by a more general collection of thoughts on the weekend overall. 
I'll hold back on some of the details so that when you watch it on Riptide On Demand (https://bit.ly/2KvkrAj) - you'll at least get some surprises!

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BCT NIGHT 1

MATCH 1: Jordon Breaks vs OJMO vs Mauro Chaves vs Sid Scala - BCT Qualifier
RESULT: OJMO wins via Submission

MATCH 2: Spike Trivet vs OJMO - BCT Tournament Match (R16)
RESULT: Trivet wins via Pinfall

MATCH 3: Candy Floss vs Cara Noir - BCT Tournament Match (R16)
RESULT: Candy Floss wins via Pinfall

MATCH 4: Chuck Mambo vs Angelico - BCT Tournament Match (R16)
RESULT: Mambo wins via Pinfall

MATCH 5: Damon Moser vs Mark Davis - BCT Tournament Match (R16)
RESULT: Moser wins via Pinfall

MATCH 6: David Starr vs Charlie Morgan - BCT Tournament Match (R16)
RESULT: Starr wins via Submission

MATCH 7: Jordan Devlin vs Kyle Fletcher - BCT Tournament Match (R16)
RESULT: Devlin wins via Pinfall

MATCH 8: Millie McKenzie vs Chris Ridgeway - BCT Tournament Match (R16)
RESULT: Ridgeway wins via Referee Stoppage

MATCH 9: Jonah Rock vs Walter - BCT Tournament Match (R16)
RESULT: Rock wins via Pinfall

• To me it was a well produced and correctly pitched first night. We had a few marquee matches, but nothing too brutal, too long or too surprising - which I believe is the right way to go in the knowledge that there are two more shows and there has to be a steady build to the end.
• That being said every match was solid and did what it needed to do in advancing the right wrestlers and creating anticipation moving forward.
• Bout of the night for me was Devlin vs Fletcher. It started a little slow, but once it picked up pace, it was probably the one match where the near falls had me completely invested in the outcome.
• Because she only competed on this show I'll mention Charlie Morgan here. She had a great technical back and forth with David Starr which flowed really well. Hopefully even with her appearances in other promotions, we can still see her relatively often down here in Riptide.
• Jonah vs Walter was I guess what we should have expected for an opening night main event. It was certainly a momentous battle of two absolute beasts, but you also got the sense that on a one-off show, it'd probably have gone another 5/10 minutes and been a lot more brutal - see Walter's match with Speedball for reference.

BCT NIGHT 2

MATCH 1: Angelico vs El Phantasmo
RESULT: Angelico wins via Pinfall

MATCH 2: Chris Ridgeway vs David Starr - BCT Tournament Match (QF)
RESULT: Ridgeway wins via Referee Stoppage

MATCH 3: Wild Boar vs Millie McKenzie
RESULT: McKenzie wins via Pinfall

MATCH 4: Chuck Mambo vs Jordan Devlin - BCT Tournament Match (QF)
RESULT: Mambo wins via Pinfall

MATCH 5: Session Moth Martina & Dave Benson-Phillips vs Anti-Fun Police (Dunne & Federales)
RESULT: Moth & DBP win via Pinfall

MATCH 6: Candy Floss vs Spike Trivet - BCT Tournament Match (QF)
RESULT: Trivet wins via Pinfall

MATCH 7: Jonah Rock vs Damon Moser - BCT Tournament Match (QF)
RESULT: Rock wins via Pinfall

MATCH 8: Aussie Open Challenge - answered by Ringkampf (Walter & Thatcher)
RESULT: Ringkampf win via Pinfall

• After defeating Cara Noir night one, Candy was screwed out of beating Spike on night two by Money vs Everybody (MvsE) who then proceeded to attack her after the bell. Who should then appear to make the save, but Cara. He chased them off/weirded them out, then looked like he might try and creep on Candy - but seemed to have a change of heart and slunk off. I still have no idea what this feud even is or where its going - I'm just hoping the payoff will eventually make sense of it all.
• We only had Boar for the night, and he had a solid bout with Millie. He did lose again though - in fact I'm not sure he's ever won at Riptide. Fingers crossed he comes back to rectify this soon!
• The match or team "we never knew we wanted", is a trope that gets bandied about a fair bit on social media, maybe too much. However, when Angelico and El Phantasmo (ELP) finished their match and decided form a tag team for night three - I started to understand why people say it. I mean how could that not be awesome!
• Ridgeway vs Starr was a great tussle early on the card - really good chemistry between them. My only complaint is that I'd like it to have gone on longer - although I of course understand why it didn't.
• Well what can I say about the tag team tilt featuring the incomparable DBP - other than it was an absolute ton of FUNNAHHH!
• The match itself was actually really good. Of course it was more entertainment than actual wrestling, but surprisingly (or maybe not) DBP did actually pull off a few moves! 
• Sometimes you just need a match like this to just get everyone in a party atmosphere, put the serious business of crowning a champ on hold for a bit - and this did that job perfectly.
• Massive credit to Moth and the AFP for coming up with some incredible spots and getting DBP so seamlessly involved in the action. All three ended up in the gunge too for their efforts, so thank you so much for being good sports purely for our enjoyment.
• For surprise appearances, the biggest pop we had seen so far at Riptide was when Viper appeared at the Rumble. However, when Aussie Open sent out their usual challenge which was answered by Walter and TIMOTHY THATCHER - I think we equalled, or maybe even surpassed that.
• Again Riptide hit the nail on the head with the Thatcher reveal. It needed to be night two. If it had been night one it would have got us too amped too early IMHO, and night three it may have slightly taken away from the actual tournament.  
• Now this was an absolute barn-burner of a match, brutal, technical, raw - I freakin' loved it. There have been some incredible tag team matches in Riptide, but to me this set a new bar, and to be honest set it very high. It sure sent us all home very very happy and pumped up for the following night.

BCT NIGHT 3

MATCH 1: Chuck Mambo vs Chris Ridgeway - BCT Tournament Match (SF)
RESULT: Mambo wins via Pinfall

MATCH 2: Jordon Breaks vs Lord Gideon Grey
RESULT: Grey wins via Submission

MATCH 3: Spike Trivet vs Jonah Rock - BCT Tournament Match (SF)
RESULT: Trivet wins via Pinfall

MATCH 4: Aussie Open Challenge - answered by HeadBangarang (Angelico & El Phantasmo)
RESULT: Aussie Open win via Pinfall

MATCH 5: 8-Person Scramble -  Session Moth Martina vs Kurtis Chapman vs Dan Magee vs OJMO vs Fraser Thomas vs Candy Floss vs Lion Kid vs Big T Justice
RESULT: Big T wins via Pinfall

MATCH 6: Chakara & Paul Robinson vs The SuperBrotheys (Kip Sabian & Amir Jordan)
RESULT: Chakara & Robinson win via Pinfall

MATCH 7: Chuck Mambo vs Spike Trivet - Brighton Championship Title Match
RESULT: Chuck Mambo wins via Pinfall

• Of course MvsE had to attack Jonah and hobble him before his semi-final bout with Spike. I think we all felt that Spike would make it to the final and there needed to be a way to make it legitimate that he could beat Jonah one on one. Still feel like we need a stable or an alliance of some faces though, I don't think I'm the only one who feels like the heels have the run of the place at Riptide.
• Grey made a rare appearance in an actual scheduled match - and kinda reminded us why he's been a staple of the scene for a good while now. Much like Spike he's difficult to outright hate, because he's actually quite witty and occasionally makes a good (if unpopular) point. 
• The tag team of Angelico and ELP, dubbed "HeadBangarang", was every bit as good as my mind had imagined. Something about their style of working and their look makes them go really well together - not sure if their schedules would allow them to tag very often, but I thought they were awesome. 
• The match itself against Aussie Open was actually very good, the slow-motion sequence being a particularly memorable component. Quite a contrast though to the AO Challenge that took place the previous night though!
• I can kinda take or leave scramble matches to be honest. You occasionally get a good one, but the majority of them very much live up to the name and as such become, for want of a better word, chaotic. Everyone in this match got a spot or two in and it was nice to have so many deserving people involved, but I feel like each and every one of these wrestlers has so much more to offer. Just my opinion, but I'd rather see a pre-show match than a multi-person scramble, because if you spread the talent out you give it more time to shine.
• Our break from the serious business of the night came in the form of the SuperBrotheys who gave us a karaoke version of NSYNC's "Bye Bye Bye" complete with dance routine. I have video evidence of this. 
• I mean could you get two more contrasting teams than Robbo/Chakara and Sabian/Jordan - oh wait maybe Moth/DBP and the AFP. 
• Chuck Mambo only went and won the Brighton Championship didn't he! Amazing scenes at the end with streamers, confetti and then people going into the ring to celebrate. Unfortunately the ring then collapsed - boo - but more on that later.
• Of course MvsE tried to interfere on behalf of Spike, which brought out Jack Sexsmith (who most people were unaware was even in Brighton) wielding a steel chair. About time someone ran those fellas off! 
• It also sets up Jack vs Spike for the November show I'm hoping. Would love that to have some sort of stipulation - something that tests them to the limit. The one that comes to mind immediately is a 'Last Man Standing' match, but if they were up for it a 30-minute 'Iron Man' match would be interesting too.

OVERALL BCT THOUGHTS

OK so this is where I'm going to talk more about things that happened over the three nights across the whole weekender, rather than at any one specific time.

• I respect the hell out of anyone who gets in the ring - period. Bonus points if you do it in Riptide of course! I think I speak for every fan in attendance across the three nights in saying we appreciate everyone who competed for our entertainment and we thank you!
• It was great to see Jordon Breaks make his Riptide debut night one, and then return on night three. Of course it is great to have a home-town talent, but my goodness can he back it up. His technical wrestling is on point already and I can see him going from strength to strength very quickly - hopefully Riptide can give him a platform to continue his development going forward. This comparison might come a little early or be slightly speculative, but I see the makings of a technical wrestler in the mould a Zack Sabre Jr there.
• OJMO made it into the BCT which was an achievement in and of itself given the field. I'm not going to presume to know the inner workings of Riptide, but I feel like given what has transpired with the cancelled shows, people like OJMO, Fraser Thomas, Big T, Chapman, Magee, Rob Lias, Breaks, Conor Mills, Maverick Mayhew, Chakara - and many other rising talents (sorry to any other obvious people I didn't mention) could and probably should be given the opportunity to make the leap up to regular main card status.
• I don't actually like to separate men from women, and usually I don't, but to talk about the state of women's wrestling in the UK I feel like in this instance I have to. We had four absolute stars with us over the weekend in Charlie Morgan, Millie McKenzie, Candy Floss and Session Moth. They're all perhaps at slightly different stages of their respective careers, but they all have the same potential - limitless. I just hope they keep coming back to Riptide to see us when they're super popular and everyone worldwide knows their names.
• Absolutely love Aussie Open - I don't think they've been in a bad or even average match at Riptide. Not only did they compete as singles on Thursday, they then took an absolute battering at the hands of Ringkampf on Friday, only to come back and put on a cracker of a match with HeadBangarang on Saturday. Love the heart and effort guys, plus I want to adopt Kyle so if anyone can help with that then please let me know.
• On the subject of Australians - I just have to say how much I love Jonah Rock. Can't be complimentary enough about his in-ring ability, his persona, his work ethic, or how much of a good guy he is outside the ring. I don't know whether his preference would be to be more involved with NJPW or eventually work in the WWE - but one of them needs to get in there quick before they miss out.
• Walter absolutely killed it again. I mean why should we expect anything different at this point? The Ringkampf reveal if anything even somehow took it up a notch. Not sure going forward how often we'll see him at Riptide, but even if it's a couple of times a year it'd be worth it to watch him work.
• Shout-out to David Starr, Jordan Devlin, and Chris Ridgeway who put on some of the most underrated matches of the weekend, but ultimately didn't make it to the final. Three professional guys who add a ton of value to any match they're involved in.
• The appearances of Session Moth and the AFP were a welcome contrast to the more serious ongoing business of the tournament. It's hard to go up and down on an emotional roller-coaster three days running - sometimes you need to relax, have fun, and laugh - and boy did these three along with DBP cause me to do a lot of the latter. I'm almost at the point with the AFP now that I don't see them as heels because I love them so much.
• I cannot explain enough how good a trio Money vs Everybody are. They each bring something different to the group, but it all just works so well together. I cannot give them any bigger compliment than I really love absolutely detesting them. Moser in particular within the group context is becoming more and more visible - just like his tan (bants).
• To make a great face, you need a great heel and to me - I love Mambo to death of course - but Spike is as great a heel as Mambo is face. I cheer and chant for Mambo as vociferously as I boo the hell out of Spike. I think I speak for quite a few in saying had Spike won, as long as Sexsmith came out and beat him up afterwards, I would have been totally OK with that. We love you Spike, but we hate you too - just like we're supposed to.
• Those two absolutely unequivocally deserved to be in that final as it should be the two people who have reached the pinnacle of Riptide - I applaud them as I do the Riptide team for recognising that and not trying to swerve what was surely the right thing to do.
• Mambo well, what an absolute dude. There are a handful of people who put it all on the line show after show after show for Riptide, but I think you'd be hard pressed to find someone who does it as hard, as often, with as much heart as Mambo. I'm so made up that he is the inaugural Brighton Champion - you deserve it brother!
• So after Chuck won a tweet that he had made earlier in the day kinda backfired as quite a few fans rushed the ring, which ended up giving way under the additional weight. I didn't go in the ring myself, I'd only have made it worse, but I will along with many others be donating to get it fixed. More info on that below.
• Special mention for Aaren Wilde our long-standing Riptide referee. Not only did he officiate the majority of the matches Friday and Saturday, taking push, after shove, after low blow, but he took a skull-crushing chair shot to the face on Saturday - all for our entertainment. Feel better soon buddy and thank you for all that you do!
• In summary an absolutely fantastic three nights of shows - I don't honestly think from a fan point of view it could have gone any better. Massive, enormous, gigantic thank you to everyone who performed as well as the entire Riptide team behind the scenes. You were all awesome!

That's all for this edition of the Riptide Recap, hopefully it has been worth reading, somewhat enjoyable, and created a few conversation points. These are just my own opinions so it's totally fine to disagree!

If you'd like to donate to the "Fix Riptide's Ring" fund set up by fellow super fan Alice Tester - please feel free to do so here: https://bit.ly/2voFDmH 

Any and all donations very much appreciated!

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Photo via Rob Brazier / Head Drop (@RobBrazierPhoto)