CZW 17th annual Cage of Death report 12/12: Sami Callihan returns

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By Bob Magee

Combat Zone Wrestling returned to the Flyers Skate Zone Saturday for its annual long day’s journey into night for the 17th annual Cage of Death before a legitimate standing room only crowd.

Before listing the results, one of the personal highlights for me at Cage of Death every year for the last 11 years, is the Toys for Tots collection, first in Philadelphia at the ECW Arena, then at the Flyers Skate Zone in Voorhees. This year’s collection was spread over the afternoon DOJO WARS show and Cage of Death (making for an easier process of bagging and storing the donated toys over time).

The final total of donated toys has been estimated at over 420 toys donated by CZW fans on Saturday. I can say personally that an incredible assortment of toys were donated by CZW fans, ranging from radio-operated cars to a skateboard (child’s size) to wrestling figures to all sorts of toys for younger children. Those with toys requiring batteries brought batteries and taped them to their toys.

THANK YOU to DJ Hyde, Maven Bentley, Brian McCauley, and CZW’ s social media staff… and as always the fans. Saturday’s collection set a record for Cage of Death as 12 full bags of toys (estimated at around 420 toys) tonight at a CZW show….more than any Cage of Death held at the Flyers Skate Zone or ECW Arena ever did.

The evening began with five United States Marines who had come to escort the donated toys, brought into the ring by Maven Bentley to USA chants and a thundering and inspirational rock version of the National Anthem by Madison Rising, who describes themselves as “America’s Most Patriotic Rock Group”. 

Dark match/Scramble match for spot in Best of the Best 

Desmond Xavier defeated Rex Lawless, Chip Day,  Eddie Smooth, Conor Claxton, Lucky 13, Brittany Blake after a corkscrew moonsault

In the show opener, Lio Rush defeated Joey Janela to win CZW Wired Championship.

On any other show, this could have been a main event. This had incredible spot after spot…yet the two worked together seamlessly

Greg Excellent defeated Tony Nese by pinfall with a Tiger Driver 

George Gatton, who won the DOJO WARS battle royal to secure a spot in Cage of Death defeated CZW Owner DJ Hyde.

Gatton ducked a Hyde lariat and rolled up Hyde out of nowhere. Hyde then put over Gatton post-match.. Gatton is a longtime CZW fan who went through a long training time at CZW’s Dojo and worked DOJO WARS shows. Gatton plays the underdog role to a T.

The Amazing Gulaks defeated The Beaver Boys after an “Amazing splash”.

CZW World Tag Team Titles 

TV Ready (BLK Jeez/Pepper Parks) defeated Team Tremendous (actually Dan Berry and Sozio, substituting for Bill Carr) after interference by Cherry Bomb (who’d been selling the legit collarbone injury well after it had healed) , then a superbomb and BLK Jeez Walks.

I Quit Match 

Chainsaw Joe Gacy defeated Tim Donst in the “I Quit” match, this went all over the building, involving chairs with barbed wire, thumbtacks in the ring; finishing with Donst saying “I Quit” when Gacy threatened to throw Donst off a scaffold, through a table with a barbed wire chair. Submission or not, Gacy did it anyway, throwing Tim Donst off a scaffold through a cameraman…unlike WWE, a real operating cameraman.

Ultraviolent Rules Death Match 

Danny Havoc defeated Rickey Shane Page by pinfall after a dragon duplex through glass

Sami Callihan returned to CZW to defeat David Starr after a good back and forth match with the Stretch Muffler. Post-match, Callihan put over David Starr, calling him “the future”, and  “one tough son a bitch”. Suddenly, out pops Jonathan Gresham complaining about Callihan getting the semi-main event “after he had been representing CZW around the world, winning championships…”. Callihan challenges him to get in the ring right then. Starr turns and pops Callihan in the head form behind. This sets up a potential three way for the February Anniversary show with Sami Callihan vs. Jonathan Gresham vs. David Starr

Cage of Death:  The Bulldozer Matt Tremont retained his CZW World heavyweight Title defeating Masada, AR Fox and Devon Moore. 

The finish saw Tremont and AR Fox we’re fighting on the scaffold, then Tremont hit a sidewalk slam on Fox, through a glass panel and through a table.

CZW will take January off in Voorhees, because they are partnering with Canadian indy SMASH Wrestling on January 16 in Toronto with Team SMASH (led by Johnny Gargano) vs. Team CZW (led by Sami Callihan). CZW returns to the Flyers Skate Zone on February 13 for its anniversary show.