Santino Brothers: California Love Results

California Love
Date: March 30, 2023
Location: Ukranian Center, Los Angeles, California
Commentators: Jack Farmer, Slice Boogie

This is from Santino (not Marella) Brothers Wrestling, which I have at least heard of, making it worthy of a look this weekend. That could make for a variety of possibilities here, though I have no idea what to expect coming in. We could be in for almost anything here and hopefully that makes for a good show. Let’s get to it.

Note that I do not follow the promotion so I’m coming in blind. I apologize in advance for anything I miss involving backstory, character details etc.

The ring announcer welcomes us to the show and runs down the card.

Eli Everfly vs. Kidd Bandit

Everfly wears a fly mask to the ring and Bandit is the Techno Witch. This is teacher vs. student with Everfly (teacher) jumping Bandit to start. The big dive to the floor drops Bandit but a DDT plants Everfly back inside. Everfly is fine enough to kick Bandit in the face but charges into a kick to the head as well. Sliced Bread on the apron drops Bandit though and a jumping knee gets two.

An exchange of kicks rock each other inside until Bandit’s Angel Killer (something out of an electric chair) is countered into a tiger suplex for two. A double underhook destroyer gives Everfly two more but Bandit gives him a spinning kick to the head. The Angel Killer (One Winged Angel) onto the knee finishes Everfly at 7:24, despite the referee stopping for some reason between two and three.

Result: Kidd Bandid b. Eli Everfly – Angel Killer (7:24)

Big Dick Hoss vs. Koto Hiro vs. El Primohenio vs. Alec Tomas vs. Richie Coy vs. Ray Rosas

For an Inner City Title shot. Hoss is a monster cowboy, Tomas is proud of being Armenian, Coy is flamboyant and Rosas is a former champion (and a replacement for the injured Rob S*** ). It’s a brawl to start with Hoss planting Rosas and tossing Tomas for a bonus.

Hoss is sent to the floor though and Coy comes in with a high crossbody to Primohenio. La Mistica into a Fujiwara armbar has Primohenio in trouble but Rosas makes the save. Hiro sweeps Rosas’ leg out and a springboard spinning bulldog makes it worse. Tomas plants Hiro though and adds a tiger bomb for two. Primohenio comes back in with a top rope Sling Blade and a dropkick hits Tomas for a bonus.

Hoss has to pull the referee out (no DQ in a scramble) so Rosas goes after him for a change. Hoss cleans house until everyone goes after him one after another. Five stereo knees to the face has Hoss knocked silly before it’s time for the parade of suplexes and drops on the head. Tomas Blue Thunder Bombs Coy for two with Rosas making the save. Rosas moonsaults onto almost everyone else at ringside, followed by a spear to Primohenio. A top rope elbow connects to give Rosas the pin at 7:55.

Result: Ray Rosas b. Richie Coy, Alec Tomas, El Primohenio, Koto Hiro and Big Dick Hoss – Top rope elbow to Primohenio (7:55)

Raunchy Rico vs. Tyler Bateman

Rico has his manager Damien Arsenick in his corner. Before the match, Arsenick does an Andy Kaufman bit of introducing the fans to soap and deodorant. This goes well with the water that Arsenick keeps spraying on Rico so they have a gimmick! Rico says that he respects Bateman and goes into Spanish, seemingly saying he’ll win.

We get the Big Match Intros and Arsenick DOES NOT want to be called the water boy. They go to the mat to start (commentary is surprised) and Rico needs a breather on the floor. Back in and Bateman knocks him to the apron for a strike off, with Arsenick offering a quick leg trip.

Bateman is fine enough to chop away in the corner but Rico hits a running shoulder to the ribs. A neckbreaker keeps Bateman down but we do pause for a quick water break. Bateman grabs a suplex for a breather and an elbow to the face puts Rico down again. This Is A Kill (Tombstone) gives Bateman the pin at 8:50.

Result: Tyler Bateman b. Raunchy Rico – This Is A Kill (8:50)

Bomb Squad vs. Lucas Riley/Dom Kubrick

The Squad is Cameron Gates/DKC, with Gates talking about how special it is for him to be back with his best friend. Riley and Kubrick come out to Dancing Queen so they’re already awesome. DKC goes with the grappling to Kubrick to start but Kubrick takes him into the corner for some chops. Gates comes in and misses a charge at Riley, who dropkicks him down without much trouble.

It’s back to DKC to take Riley down and crank on the arms, only to have Riley slip out fast. Kubrick comes in and is promptly double flapjacked and dropkicked as the Squad is way ahead on continuity here. Another tag brings Riley back in and some kicks start to work on DKC’s arms in an effort to slow down the chops. DKC gets flipped into a faceplant but Kubrick can’t decide to cover or tag. Instead Kubrick goes up and misses a moonsault Swanton.

Gates comes in to pick up the pace with a wacky double takedown, meaning it’s already time to go back to DKC. Everything breaks down and DKC gets monkey flipped into a sitout powebomb for another near fall. Gates has to save DKC on top and it’s a powerbomb/top rope Rough Ryder combination for two on Riley. Kubrick and Riley fire off superkicks to Gates but DKC takes a big one himself, taking the bullet for Gates in a way. The Cutter 99 (assisted springboard cutter and I believe that’s the name) finishes DKC at 14:11.

Result: Dom Kubrick/Lucas Riley b. Bomb Squad – Cutter 99 to DKC (14:11)

Post match Gates and DKC are upset but ok, only to have Big Dick Hoss (Gates’ former stablemate) come out for a distraction. Gates decks DKC from behind to end the team again.

Matt Vandergriff vs. Bad Dude Tito

They roll around to start, with Vandergriff getting two off a rollup. The smaller (but still tall) Vandergriff snaps off a hurricanrana to send Tito outside, where the big dive connects as well. Back in and Vandergriff’s dive doesn’t quite work and bangs up his knee. Tito unloads with chops and a cannonball gets two, leaving Tito a bit frustrated.

Vandergriff is fine enough to start striking and flipping away, including knocking Tito down. A top rope dive is speared out of the air though and Vandergriff is down again. A hurricanrana and brainbuster get two on Tito but he’s back up with an enziguri. Vandergriff is sent outside for a dive, followed by a heck of a lariat back inside. The Low Down gives Tito the pin at 8:54.

Result: Bad Dude Tito b. Matt Vandergriff – Low Down (8:54)

We recap the Inner City Title match, with Delilah Doom defending in a triple threat. As well as I can tell, Doom won the title and two other women (Heather Monroe/Johnnie Robbie) want to take it from here. Simple yet effective enough.

Inner City Title: Delilah Doom vs. Johnnie Robbie vs. Heather Monroe

Doom is defending and Monroe earned her title shot before the Coronavirus pandemic so this is a long time in the making. Everyone tries a rollup to start and Robbie is sent outside fast. Monroe sends Doom throat first into the rope though and a neckbreaker gets two. Robbie is back in to send Monroe outside as we’re in the two in/one out formula. Monroe comes back in and gets dropped just as fast, leaving the other two to slug it out.

Everyone is back in now with Robbie hitting some double knees on Doom in the corner. Monroe gets back up and is taken down by Doom’s springboard Codebreaker to put everyone down again. They slug it out from their knees with Doom getting the better of things as they get back to their feet. A double Stunner drops both challengers and it’s a double 619 to send Monroe and Robbie outside.

Back to back suicide dives send them into the chairs, followed by a double missile dropkick back inside. Something close to a Widow’s Peak hits Monroe but Robbie is up with a neckbreaker for two on Doom. Monroe is back up and gets German suplexed back down to give Robbie two.

Doom goes up but gets caught in a Tower of Doom, with Monroe slamming Robbie onto Doom for a double two (which would have given Robbie the title as she was covering Doom without the shoulders being on the mat). Robbie knocks Monroe off the top so Doom takes her place, setting up a super victory roll to retain the title at 13:03.

Result: Delilah Doom b. Johnnie Robbie and Heather Monroe – Super victory roll to Robbie (13:03)

Post match Ray Rosas comes out to hold up the title….and then lays Doom out. The fans are NOT pleased but Rosas says it’s all their fault. He gives them everything he had and then when he took some time off to heal up, the fans moved on. Rosas puts on a seated full nelson (kind of like a Crossface) until security breaks it up.

Che Cabrera (Santino Brothers Champion) and Damien Arsenick are ready for Willie Mack.

Santino Brothers Title: Che Cabrera vs. Willie Mack

Mack is challenging and Cabrera has Damien Arsenick. Feeling out process to start with Mack moving around until Cabrera works on a wristlock. That’s reversed into a headlock, which is reversed into Cabrerea’s hammerlock. Back up and an armdrag sends Cabrera into the corner, followed by a middle rope armdrag to put him down again. They fight outside with Cabrera getting some water, earning himself some hard chops into the crowd.

Back in and Cabrera jumps over Mack to set up a heck of a running shoulder. An eye poke has Mack in more trouble but he sends Cabrera outside again. The suicide dive sends Mack flying into a chair though and we pause for more water spraying. Back in and Mack starts getting fired up and drops Cabrera with a spinwheel kick.

Mack’s spinning back elbow sets up the swinging slam and there’s the running reverse cannonball (which didn’t seem to make much contact). The Samoan drop into the standing moonsault but the Stunner is countered into a Death Valley Driver. Cabrera drapes him over the top for a swinging neckbreaker and the kickout means it’s time for the frustration.

A nasty slingshot DDT plants Mack for two more (with the referee’s hand hitting the mat as Mack’s shoulder was up at the very last second). Mack manages a high collar suplex and sends Cabrera outside for the running flip dive. Back in and Arsenick sprays water in Mack’s eyes, allowing Cabrera to snap off a super hurricanrana. A Jackhammer retains the title at 16:20.

Result: Che Cabrera b. Willie Mack – Jackhammer (16:20)

Post match the beatdown is on with Raunchy Rico coming in for the beatdown. Matt Vandergriff and Tyler Bateman come in but get taken down as well. Arsenick yells about how no one can hang with Cabrera, including Slice Boogie on commentary. Boogie’s bad leg can’t help him but he grabs a chair and runs in to piledrive Arsenick. Boogie says he had to vacate the title because of his injury so on July 29, he’s coming for Cabrera.