Rapid Fire Festival 2024 Week 5 Results
Date: 08/03/2024
Location: Wildwood, NJ
We have reached the final show of our summertime Rapid Fire Festival on the beach of Wildwood, NJ. We have seven big matches on the card and all the titles are on the line. I am Kimberly Kennedy and this is week five of the Rapid Fire Festival!
Maria Estrella w/Jessie Vega vs. Mary Jane Elder
Our show started with the latest fight in what is almost a year-long feud between Mary Jane Elder and Jessie Vega. Vega’s girlfriend, Maria Estrella came to the Festival determined to put Elder in their rearview. Elder stood her ground in a competitive opening match.
Elder’s early offense was cut short when Estrella kicked her in the gut and deadlifted her into a gutwrench powerbomb. Vega looked pleased on the outside as Estrella taunted Elder as she aggressively slammed her around the mat. Elder relied on the support of the crowd to will her way back into the match and start a big offensive comeback.
Elder was gaining serious momentum despite Estrella’s multiple attempts to fight her off. Vega became worried and tried to distract Elder but was stopped by Travis Samuels. Vega and Samuels argued outside the ring allowing Elder to dive through the ropes and take out Vega on the sandy ground below. Elder returned to the ring but her attack on Vega caused her downfall. Estrella hit her with a big boot, followed up by a running powerslam, and a pin to secure the win.
Maria Estrella and Jessie Vega celebrated in the sunshine in a definitive win against their rival. This was not the only rivalry on the show because we went from this match into another one!
Killer Malone vs. Ruslan Panov
Ruslan Panov’s second year in RFW saw him reveal a more ruthless side when he viciously attacked Killer Malone following their match at Mayday in Memphis this past spring. Panov came to this match intending to make an example out of Malone to show the rest of the roster that he was a dominant force in RFW.
This match started ugly and only got uglier with both men wasting no time trying to hurt the other. Panov took the action to the outside after hitting Malone with a DDT on the ring apron. Panov shoved Malone’s head into the sand and told him he had gotten soft. Malone elbowed Panov in the side of the head and slammed his head around the ring. The action returned to the ring with Malone fully in control but Panov reversed a vertical suplex and made a strong comeback. Malone hit a desperation knockout punch but the impact sent Panov outside the ring once again. Malone got him back in the ring but Panov had time to shake off the effects of the punch and kick out.
Panov made another comeback before hitting Malone with a curb stomp and picking up the win by pinfall.
Ruslan Panov could have taken his victory and walked away but he wasn’t finished yet. Panov grabbed a steel chair, placed it under Killer Malone’s head, and hit several more curb stomps on him until the referee and security could break up the encounter. Malone was stretchered off the beach by medical staff. I got word after the show that Malone suffered a concussion and there is no timetable for his return.
RFW Tag Team Championship Match
The Door vs. The Navigators (c)
The Navigators returned to RFW in the spring and promptly reclaimed their place at the top of the tag team division. The Door came to the Rapid Fire Festival rejuvenated and eager to capture the RFW Tag Team Championship for the second time.
The Door quickly dominated the champions. Richter wasted no time taking down Aidan North and made regular tags with Malcom to keep North from tagging in Pete Arrow. Malcom saw a beach ball being tossed around at ringside and called for the fans to toss it to him. Malcom battered North over the head with the ball as an insult before dropping North onto the ball with a brainbuster. The Door had a good laugh and Richter covered North for a pin. Arrow broke up the pin and quickly powerbombed Richter before the referee pushed him back to his corner. North tagged in Arrow and he wasted no time stopping Richter from making a tag.
North showed his strength by keeping Richter away from his partner and worked with North to wear him down. Richter struggled to stay in the fight but managed to break free of The Navigators and leaped to tag in Malcom.
Malcom exploded into the ring with a flurry of forearms, clotheslines, and body slams. The Door started racing toward victory with The Navigators on their heels. The crowd were cheering as The Navigators’ title run looked to be over but a clever dodge by North caused Malcom and Richter to collide. North rolled up Malcom and pulled his tights while Arrow blocked Richter from breaking the pin. The Navigators snuck past The Door with a narrow win and will walk into our fall season as the tag champs.
Paisley Alden vs. Alexandra Morgan
Lost Cause found themselves on RFW Commissioner Tiger Johnson’s bad side earlier this year and were fired. Alexandra Morgan broke away from the group and kept her job but has had problems with Johnson’s assistant, Delilah. Paisley Alden offered to defend Delilah and face her former groupmate in a match that would earn her, Cool Spencer, and Rus Samson their jobs back if she won.
Morgan looked like a million bucks here. She was in incredible shape, tanned, and her ring gear looked expensive. I think Alden came right from a nap on the beach because her hair was a mess, she was wearing a tie dye tank top, jean cutoffs, and was barefoot. Comparing the two, I think it is fair to say Morgan has fully moved on from Lost Cause.
Alden may not have dressed to impress but she came out strong early in this match surprising Morgan with an impressive chain of attacks and submissions. Morgan ducked out of the ring to get some space but was herded back into the ring when Cool Spencer and Rus Samson came through the crowd. Alden got in some more offense but Morgan caught her attempting a cross body block and then turned the momentum of the match. Alden was slammed around the ring but despite all the punishment she refused to be pinned.
Morgan used her spinning side slam and covered Alden for the win but Alden shocked everyone by kicking out. Morgan was infuriated and went for a second slam and pin. Alden kicked out again. Morgan looked baffled and watched as Alden tried to stand up. The crowd was behind Alden but a third spinning side slam was enough to keep her down for the final pin.
Alexandra Morgan stared down her former Lost Cause partners as Cool Spencer and Rus Samson comforted Paisley Alden who left the ring in tears with Lost Cause’s hopes of being rehired dashed.
However.
Sometimes passion pays off. Lost Cause came through the backstage curtain and Spencer apologized to Delilah on behalf of the devastated Alden for losing the match she fought in her honor. Lost Cause then walked up to Tiger Johnson and thanked him for giving them a chance. Johnson narrowed his eyes and then had a surprise for the trio.
“Look, we haven’t been on the same page. I still don’t like your style, but, Paisley, you showed me something these past two weeks. You stood up for Delilah and I appreciate that. We made a deal that if you won this match I would rehire Lost Cause. You were unsuccessful. But I have to say… you showed real heart. You worked hard and fearlessly fought one of the best in this company. So, I have decided, and I can’t believe I am saying this, you three can have your jobs back.” -Tiger Johnson
Spencer and Samson cheered and gave each other high fives. Alden stopped sobbing and stared at Johnson in total shock. She then thrust herself upon Johnson and hugged him while burying her face in his sport coat. Johnson cringed until Spencer and Samson gently pulled her away. Alden began crying again and blubbered something none of us could understand. Johnson warned Lost Cause not to make him regret his decision but was smiling as they walked away to celebrate.
RFW Grand Championship Match
Rex Anarchy vs. Mark Blood (c)
Mark Blood’s reign as RFW Grand Champion has been unique as he has vowed to defend the title weekly against all comers. Blood’s final defense for the summer was against a rival he knows all too well, Rex Anarchy. Anarchy captured the Grand Championship from Blood four years ago and the question on everyone’s mind was whether he could do it again.
These long-time rivals pulled out all the stops to try and subdue one another. Blood came through with a strong offense but Anarchy refused to be stopped and countered many of the champion’s efforts.
Blood was clotheslined to the apron and shoulder blocked out to the sand. Anarchy followed and the two brawled around the ring. Anarchy grabbed a fan’s margarita and splashed it in Blood’s face to blind him and leaving him exposed to a vicious clothesline. Anarchy tried for a fisherman buster on the sand but Blood blocked and reversed into a vertical suplex.
The action continued in the ring where Anarchy made a late-match push for victory. Blood dug deep, however, and subdued Anarchy with a tombstone piledriver. Blood covered Anarchy for a pin to win the match.
Mark Blood’s reign as RFW Grand Champion continues into the fall and I think he will need the time to rest up. It’s been a busy summer for the champion and the wear and tear from battle was evident after this one. Rex Anarchy walked off disappointed but his effort earned him support from fans at ringside who cheered him as he walked by.
RFW Wildheart Championship Match
Meghan DeWitt w/Claudia Winter vs. Shannon Worth (c)
Shannon Worth broke free from The Diamond Peak this spring and began her reign as RFW Wildheart Champion. Claudia Winter’s bitterness over Worth’s defection set up this collision against Meghan DeWitt.
Worth looked eager to fight her challenger while DeWitt looked determined to make this her breakout moment. The two locked up in the middle of the ring and Worth transitioned into aggressive headlocks and takedowns. DeWitt had trouble withstanding Worth’s offense at first but was able to take Worth down at the knees and start a chain of holds in response.
The action picked up with both women trading strikes but DeWitt’s long legs gave her an advantage and her kicks wore down the champion. Worth blocked DeWitt and made a huge comeback before setting up DeWitt for a spinning elbow. Winter grabbed DeWitt’s ankles from ringside and pulled her away from Worth to help her dodge the strike. Worth turned her attention to Winter, who denied any wrongdoing. This short distraction was enough for DeWitt to recover enough to hit Worth with a flying knee. DeWitt covered Worth and won the match by pinfall, awarding her the RFW Wildheart Championship, her first in RFW.
Meghan DeWitt was overjoyed as Claudia Winter handed her the RFW Wildheart Championship. Preston Montgomery joined them in the ring to complete The Diamond Peak celebration. Shannon Worth recovered on the outside and looked furious. I wouldn’t want to be Meghan DeWitt or anyone in The Diamond Peak this fall.
RFW World Championship Match
Tracy Blood vs. Cate Stiles (c)
Sunset marked signaled the start of our main event and we couldn’t have had a better match to end the Rapid Fire Festival than two longtime rivals. Cate Stiles came to the ring ready to defend the RFW World Championship against Tracy Blood. Blood arrived motivated to not only win the title but to gain Stiles’ respect. The two had a tense stare-down under the setting sun as the bell rang and the crowd got noisy for this collision.
Both women took it slow, testing strikes and holds. Stiles was focused on attacking Blood’s legs to prevent her dangerous head kick and to soften her up for Stiles’ ankle lock. Blood fought back, hitting Stiles with strikes and dragging the champion to the mat with submissions. Blood attempted a few pins but Stiles was able to easily escape.
Blood ran the ropes and looked for a jump kick but Stiles caught Blood’s leg and surprised her with an ankle lock. Blood was able to break the hold by reaching the ropes but Stiles wasted no time stomping on Blood’s ankle to further weaken it. Blood managed to stand up but Stiles was waiting to use a flapjack. Blood stopped the flapjack and turned it into a DDT on the champion.
Blood favored her ankle but continued to fight. Stiles found herself on the receiving end of a determined offense and was caught by Blood’s head kick. Blood was slow to capitalize because of the pain in her ankle giving Stiles time to recover and kick out of a pin.
Stiles and Blood continued to push each other to the limit as the match continued on. Blood tried for another head kick but missed and found herself prone to another ankle lock. Blood struggled to break free but managed to use her free leg to blast Stiles’ surgically repaired leg with short kicks. Blood tried to get back in the fight but Stiles applied another ankle lock. Blood tried frantically to escape and held out as long as she could before succumbing to the pain and tapping out. Stiles won the match and defended her championship in a hard fought match.
Cate Stiles stood tall with the RFW World Championship held high. Tracy Blood used a turnbuckle to drag herself to her feet and watched the champion celebrate. Stiles turned to find Blood watching her and confronted her rival. Stiles said a few words and then held out her hand in a show of respect. Blood accept the handshake and nodded, pointing to the champion and commanding the crowd to give her applause.
Tracy Blood left the Rapid Fire Festival with a sprained ankle and without a championship but she did leave with the respect of Stiles. As for our World Champion, Cate Stiles closed the show celebrating her win and looking forward to her next challenge when we return in the fall.
Thanks for being with us for this year’s Rapid Fire Festival!