Battle of Los Angeles (2012)
The 2012 tournament winner Adam Cole
PromotionPro Wrestling Guerrilla
DateNight One:
September 1, 2012
Night Two:
September 2, 2012
CityReseda, Los Angeles, California
VenueAmerican Legion Post #308
Event chronology
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Failure To Communicate
Battle of Los Angeles chronology
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2013

Battle of Los Angeles (2012) was the eighth Battle of Los Angeles professional wrestling tournament produced by Pro Wrestling Guerrilla (PWG). It was a two-night event which took place on September 1 and September 2, 2012 at the American Legion Post #308 in Reseda, Los Angeles, California.

It was a sixteen-man tournament which concluded with Adam Cole defeating Michael Elgin in the final. Aside from the tournament, two six-man tag team matches took place on the second night. The first match pitted the losers of the first round as B-Boy, Drake Younger and Willie Mack defeated Team Statutory (Davey Richards, Joey Ryan and Kyle O'Reilly) and the team of World Champion Kevin Steen, El Generico and referee Rick Knox defeated Brian Cage and The Young Bucks (Matt Jackson and Nick Jackson).[1][2]

Background

Initially, on July 22, the tournament was announced as taking place in one night on September 1 at the American Legion Post #308 in Reseda, California. It was originally supposed to be a twelve-man tournament with the participants including the 2011 winner El Generico, Roderick Strong, Michael Elgin, Sami Callihan, Adam Cole, Kyle O'Reilly, Eddie Edwards, Ricochet, Willie Mack, Drake Younger, Brian Cage, and B-Boy.[3] However, the following day it was expanded to two nights with four more wrestlers added, when another event scheduled for the Reseda venue was cancelled. The next four participants included the World Champion Kevin Steen, Davey Richards, Joey Ryan and T.J. Perkins.[4]

Event

Night One

The Battle of Los Angeles tournament kicked off with a match between Joey Ryan and T.J. Perkins. Perkins delivered a Detonation Kick to Ryan for the win.[1][5]

Next, Roderick Strong took on Drake Younger. Strong delivered a Gibson Driver to Younger for the win.[1][5]

Next, Eddie Edwards took on Kyle O'Reilly. Edwards applied an Achilles lock on O'Reilly and stomped his head repeatedly into the match, forcing the referee to stop the match.[1][5]

Next, B-Boy took on Brian Cage. Cage countered a shining wizard attempt by B-Boy into a Weapon X for the win.[1][5]

Next, the PWG World Champion Kevin Steen took on Ricochet. Brian Cage interfered in the match to distract Steen. Steen delivered a package piledriver to Cage but Ricochet capitalized on the distraction and delivered a reverse hurricanrana and a 630° senton to Steen for the win.[1][5]

Next, Willie Mack took on Sami Callihan. Callihan got a near-fall after hitting two lariats to Mack. Callihan then hit a third lariat to Mack for the win.[1][5]

Next, El Generico took on Adam Cole. Generico hit a Yakuza Kick to Cole but Cole countered by pinning him with a cradle for the win.[1][5]

It was followed by the final match in the first round between Davey Richards and Michael Elgin. After Richards countered an enzuigiri by Elgin into an ankle lock, Elgin hit a knee lift and then nailed a turnbuckle powerbomb and an Elgin Bomb for the win. Richards congratulated Elgin after the match and told him to win the tournament.[1][5]

Night Two

Quarterfinals

The quarterfinal round of the Battle of Los Angeles began with a match between Sami Callihan and T.J. Perkins. Callihan countered a Detonation Kick attempt by Perkins by applying a over-the-shoulder single leg Boston crab and make him submit for the win.[2][6]

Next, Eddie Edwards took on Adam Cole. After a series of superkicks, Cole delivered a Florida Keys to Edwards for the win.[2][6]

Next, Brian Cage took on Michael Elgin. Cage knocked out the referee while spinning Elgin in the ring allowing Kevin Steen to interfere in the match to avenge Cage's interference which cost Steen, his first round match against Ricochet. Steen delivered a Deep Sea Diverticulitis to Cage but Elgin got a near-fall. After a series of counters, Elgin delivered a powerbomb, a turnbuckle powerbomb and an Elgin Bomb to Cage for the win. Steen attacked Cage after the match until The Young Bucks (Matt Jackson and Nick Jackson) ran in to attack Steen. Referee Rick Knox tried to make the save but Cage attacked him. El Generico then made the save and then Knox challenged Cage and Bucks to a match later in the night with Steen and Generico as his partners. He tried to convince Steen and Generico to put their differences aside but Steen walked out.[2][6]

It was followed by the next quarterfinal in which Roderick Strong took on Ricochet. Ricochet moved out of a Stronghold by Strong into a hurricanrana and followed it with a shooting star press for the win.[2][6]

Next, Team Statutory (Davey Richards, Joey Ryan and Kyle O'Reilly) took on the team of B-Boy, Drake Younger and Willie Mack in a six-man tag team match. Mack delivered a Chocolate Thunder Driver to Richards for the win.[2][6]

Semifinals

The first semifinal match took place between Adam Cole and Sami Callihan. Cole got out of a fireman's carry by Callihan on the top rope and delivered a superkick to Callihan's knee. He followed it with a superkicks to Callihan and then applied a figure four leglock on Callihan to make him submit for the win.[2][6]

Next, Michael Elgin took on Ricochet. Elgin countered a hurricanrana from the top rope attempt by Ricochet into a superbomb and then followed it with an Elgin Bomb for the win.[2][6]

It was followed by the penultimate match in which El Generico and referee Rick Knox took on Brian Cage and The Young Bucks. The match originally started as a handicap match until Kevin Steen showed up in the match as Generico and Knox's third partner. Knox delivered a tornado DDT to Matt Jackson. It was followed by a package piledriver by Steen, a brainbuster by Generico and a big splash by Knox for the win.[2][6]

Final

The Battle of Los Angeles final took place between Michael Elgin and Adam Cole. Cole delivered a Florida Keys to Elgin for the win. Cole refused to acknowledge the "future" nickname assigned to him and said that he was the best wrestler around. He then called out the World Champion Kevin Steen and insulted him, prompting Steen to cut a promo but Cole kicked him in the groin and stole the World Championship belt.[2][6]

Reception

Jake St-Pierre heavily praised the 2012 Battle of Los Angeles, feeling that it topped "DDT4 as PWG's best tourney of the year" and "the best tournament to happen in wrestling" in any promotion during 2012.

According to him, the night one was "an ultra-consistent show and super easy to sit through" with "amazing stuff top-to-bottom". He specifically praised the match between Davey Richards and Michael Elgin while considering Kevin Steen and Ricochet's contest, "a phenomenal match".[5]

He considered the night two to be "the Show of the Year candidate" and "a totally watchable show with insane variety when it comes to the style of matches you want to see".[6]

Aftermath

After winning the 2012 Battle of Los Angeles, Adam Cole received his title shot for the PWG World Championship against Kevin Steen in a Guerrilla Warfare at the first Mystery Vortex event. Cole defeated Steen to win the title.[7][8]

Results

Night 1 (September 1)
No.Results[9]StipulationsTimes
1T.J. Perkins defeated Joey RyanSingles match in the first round of Battle of Los Angeles tournament13:19
2Roderick Strong defeated Drake YoungerSingles match in the first round of Battle of Los Angeles tournament13:50
3Eddie Edwards defeated Kyle O'ReillySingles match in the first round of Battle of Los Angeles tournament17:47
4Brian Cage defeated B-BoySingles match in the first round of Battle of Los Angeles tournament16:57
5Ricochet defeated Kevin SteenSingles match in the first round of Battle of Los Angeles tournament15:53
6Sami Callihan defeated Willie MackSingles match in the first round of Battle of Los Angeles tournament13:28
7Adam Cole defeated El GenericoSingles match in the first round of Battle of Los Angeles tournament11:06
8Michael Elgin defeated Davey RichardsSingles match in the first round of Battle of Los Angeles tournament23:22
Night 2 (September 2)
No.Results[10]StipulationsTimes
1Sami Callihan defeated T.J. PerkinsSingles match in the quarter-final round of Battle of Los Angeles tournament12:49
2Adam Cole defeated Eddie EdwardsSingles match in the quarter-final round of Battle of Los Angeles tournament15:08
3Michael Elgin defeated Brian CageSingles match in the quarter-final round of Battle of Los Angeles tournament17:47
4Ricochet defeated Roderick StrongSingles match in the quarter-final round of Battle of Los Angeles tournament16:28
5B-Boy, Drake Younger and Willie Mack defeated Team Statutory (Davey Richards, Joey Ryan and Kyle O'Reilly)Six-man tag team match15:59
6Adam Cole defeated Sami CallihanSingles match in the semi-final round of Battle of Los Angeles tournament10:14
7Michael Elgin defeated RicochetSingles match in the semi-final round of Battle of Los Angeles tournament13:58
8El Generico, Kevin Steen and Rick Knox defeated Brian Cage and The Young Bucks (Matt Jackson and Nick Jackson)Six-man tag team match17:57
9Adam Cole defeated Michael ElginSingles match in the Battle of Los Angeles tournament final13:54

Tournament brackets

Battle of Los Angeles (2012)
Tournament information
SportProfessional wrestling
LocationReseda, Los Angeles, California
DatesSeptember 1, 2012–September 2, 2012
Tournament
format(s)
Single elimination tournament
Participants16
Final positions
ChampionAdam Cole
Runner-upMichael Elgin
First round Second round Semifinals Finals
        
Sami Callihan Pin
Willie Mack 13:28[9]
Sami Callihan Sub
T. J. Perkins 12:49[10]
T. J. Perkins Pin
Joey Ryan 13:19[9]
Sami Callihan Sub
Adam Cole 10:14[10]
Adam Cole Pin
El Generico 11:06[9]
Adam Cole Pin
Eddie Edwards 15:08[10]
Eddie Edwards Sub
Kyle O'Reilly 17:47[9]
Adam Cole Pin
Michael Elgin 13:54[10]
Ricochet Pin
Kevin Steen 15:53[9]
Ricochet Pin
Roderick Strong 16:28[10]
Roderick Strong Pin
Drake Younger 13:50[9]
Michael Elgin Pin
Ricochet 13:58[10]
Michael Elgin Pin
Davey Richards 23:22[9]
Michael Elgin Pin
Brian Cage 17:47[10]
B-Boy Pin
Brian Cage 16:57[9]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Chad Simplico (September 3, 2012). "RECAP of PWG's BOLA 2012 Night One". SoCal Uncensored. Retrieved 19 December 2022.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Chad Simplico (September 3, 2012). "RECAP of PWG's BOLA 2012 Night Two". SoCal Uncensored. Retrieved 19 December 2022.
  3. ↑ Caldwell, James (2012-07-23). "PWG: BOLA tournament field announced". Pro Wrestling Torch. Retrieved 2012-07-23.
  4. ↑ Caldwell, James (2012-07-24). "PWG: BOLA 2012 expands to two nights". Pro Wrestling Torch. Retrieved 2012-07-24.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Jake St-Pierre (November 2, 2012). "Guerrilla Reviewfare: PWG Battle of Los Angeles 2012 (Night One)". 411Mania. Retrieved 23 December 2022.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Jake St-Pierre (November 3, 2012). "Guerrilla Reviewfare: PWG Battle of Los Angeles 2012 (Night Two)". 411Mania. Retrieved 23 December 2022.
  7. ↑ Jake St-Pierre (February 2, 2013). "Guerrilla Reviewfare: PWG Mystery Vortex". 411Mania. Retrieved 23 December 2022.
  8. ↑ TJ Hawke (October 2, 2013). "Views from the Hawke's Nest: PWG Mystery Vortex 2012". 411Mania. Retrieved 23 December 2022.
  9. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Massingham, Matt (2012-09-02). "9/1 PWG results Reseda, Calif.: BOLA First Round features Steen, Richards vs. Elgin MOTYC re-match, Gut Check'er". Pro Wrestling Torch. Retrieved 2012-09-02.
  10. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Massingham, Matt (2012-09-02). "9/2 PWG results Reseda, Calif.: Complete results from BOLA Night 2 with finals of tourney". Pro Wrestling Torch. Retrieved 2012-09-02.
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