Buried Treasure 2023 Report
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Buried Treasure 2023 Report

OPW’s final show of the year went off with a bang, topping off an incredible year of wrestling from start to finish at the Alhambra in Morecambe. Join me as I run through all the highlights. 


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Click below to skip directly to a match:



 

Ginha vs Ryan Hunter


This was the Daredevil’s biggest opportunity to date in OPW, with a chance to knock off a former Odyssey Pro Wrestling champion in Hunter. He made the most of it, avoiding Hunter with his quickness and a series of high-flying manoeuvres such as a Swanton through the ropes, a corkscrew shooting star press and a springboard cannonball. 


However, Ryan recognised this danger and caused Ginha to go toppling to the floor while lining him up for more aerial offence. The bigger man proved hard to keep down and was unsurprisingly cocky, telling the fans, who were firmly behind Ginha, that “you should be on your feet cheering for me”. 


Ginha was caught mid-air with a kick from Hunter, who then hit a nasty ripcord lariat and a Death Valley driver, but Ginha resiliently kicked out. Ginha was then able to hit a huge hook kick but Hunter wasn’t out, dodging a senton before unleashing his brutal package piledriver for the win. 


 

Lily Winter vs Harley Hudson


Lily Winter was delighted to find out that Jennie B was injured and declared herself the number one contender by default, but it wasn’t long before her hopes were dashed when Impact Gut Check winner Harley Hudson made her unexpected Morecambe return. The fans were delighted to see 9 Stone of Scouse Girl Power back in OPW for the first time since April 2022. I was honoured to be behind the commentary desk for this one.  


The pair battled it out in a fantastic match, both young upstarts looking to cement themselves atop the prestigious OPW women’s division. They traded moves and showed off their skills and the match looked like it could go either way, but Lily Winter cleverly turned the tides her way when she removed the padding and exposed the steel turnbuckle in one corner of the ring. 


Ensuring the referee couldn’t see, Harley Hudson’s face collided with it and Winter rolled her up for the win. To Morecambe’s displeasure, Winter is champion Leah Raven’s next opponent. 


 

Troy Ryan vs Reece and Rogan (OPW Tag Team Championships)


Troy Ryan was notably lacking his trademark energy as he came down to the ring - as well as a tag team partner. He explained that Anderson Daniels had sustained a head injury and was not medically cleared to wrestle. Despite this, he was determined to take Reece and Rogan alone and seemed confident he would win back the Tag Team Championships. Interrupting him was his former friend who turned on Sinergy at Panic Stations, Jack Roberts. He offered his services to Troy Ryan, saying “It wouldn’t be the first time I’ve saved Sinergy’s ass!”


Troy responded, “You’re the last person on earth I’d team with,” much to the delight of the Morecambe fans who booed Jack Roberts out. 


Ryan didn’t seem to regret his choice at first as he managed to take both Reece and Rogan out in the early stages, sending Reece down with a bulldog and even unleashing a suicide dive. 


However, the numbers game soon caught up to him, with Reece and Rogan mocking Ryan for having no one to tag in. Despite this, Troy showed tremendous courage as he pounced Rogan, but Reece was quick to break up the pin. It wasn’t long before they unleashed their finish for the win. 


Rubbing salt into the wound, Jack Roberts reappeared, telling Ryan “You could have been a champion tonight, and look at the state of you.”


 

Rick Markus vs Brian Aidenson


This seemed to be a very evenly matched pair for much of the match, kicking off with a technical wrestling chain where there was no clear better competitor. Rick then kicked it up a notch with a series of clotheslines, sending Aidenson tumbling out of the ring. As Markus started building momentum and speed, Aidenson caught him with a huge kick.


Then, Aidenson kept the pace slow and methodical to suit him, keeping Markus grounded on the mat, before brutally snapping his neck between his legs. 


Markus wasn’t down and out though and used his strength advantage over Aidenson to overpower him and suplex him. He unleashed his signature spinbuster and a big DDT, but Aidenson somehow kicked out. Aidenson then locked in a painful crossface submission, with Markus looking bound to tap out as his fans urged him to keep going to save his career. 


With amazing willpower, he was able to keep himself in the match and power out, even asking Aidenson for more. He then hit a Seito suplex and a rapid spear for the win, showcasing the tenacity which has kept his career alive. 


 

Will Carter vs Sheriff Steele and Isaac North


Will Carter was supposed to have found a tag team partner for this match but it appeared he had no luck as he came face to face with two much bigger men alone. Isaiah Quinn couldn’t resist the urge to taunt Will, saying “I thought the whole reason for leaving me was for a better life? How’s that going?”


However, Carter is quite used to being outnumbered and came in hot with a flying cross body to Sheriff. He was determined to get his hands on Quinn and chased him down, following him all the way to the backstage area where the two disappeared before Carter came launching back to the ring triumphantly, rapidly flying and taking North out. 


Unfortunately, his disadvantage was bound to catch up to him, and he was smashed on the apron and effortlessly thrown around the ring. Even when he tried to fight back with a crossbody, Sheriff Steele was too strong and caught him in mid-air. He then got Will up for a delayed vertical suplex, assisted with a chop from North. Speaking of which, North shortly after hit Carter with one of the biggest chops I have ever heard. 


Ever resilient, Carter refused to give up and even started to find some gas and fight back, throwing North into Steele and then sending him out of the ring. However, he was stopped in his tracks when Nightmare’s music hit. Was this Carter’s mystery partner?


However, we never found out as it was Quinn who appeared from the curtain, distracting and infuriating Carter enough that he was caught by the Freakshow and left beaten in the middle of the ring for the 1, 2, 3. 


 

Nate Reese vs Craig Kollins


When Reese’s scheduled match had to be rearranged due to travel issues, Jack Roberts declared that he would step up, wanting a match to prove why he was the best wrestler in Sinergy and why he is undefeated in OPW. 


They toe-to-toe in an exciting match, with Nate’s high-energy speed clashing with Roberts’ no-nonsense style. Clever wrestling from Jack meant that he could keep hold of Reese’s arm through the ropes beyond the referee’s count as he wrenched on it. 


Roberts had the size advantage and Irish whipped Reese harshly into the turnbuckle several times. He thought he was going to end it and told the fans “This is for all of you”, but Nate reversed it into a facebuster. However, Jack then hit a huge backbreaker. 


They were back and forth for a while with lots of reversals, with the dealbreaker being Jack hitting a low blow while the referee wasn’t looking and hitting his finisher for the win. 


 

RPD vs Lance Revera (OPW Championship)


This was one of the most dramatic Odyssey main events I’ve ever seen - and that’s saying something! 


It kicked off with Lance trying to jumpstart RPD only to be sent out of the ring. They wrestled all around the Alhambra, with Lance getting his head smashed off the concrete wall. However, he got RPD down and decided to become a short-lived cameraman, stealing the video camera from the crew and taunting RPD (and promoting his merch). But, soon after, he found himself crashing into the merch table. The fight then spilt onto the stage, where Revera’s offence was reversed and he ended up taking a nasty back body drop onto the hard wooden surface. 


The action didn’t calm down once they got back inside the ring. Lance’s unrelenting offence aggravated RPD’s injured shoulder, and as he was nursing that, Revera disappeared and came back wearing RPD’s ring jacket, just to wind him up further. 


The intensity never faltered, even when both men took each other out with simultaneous clotheslines; they both kipped up at the same time. RPD could follow up with an RPDDT, but a big step up enzuigiri from Revera turned the tide in his direction as the impact sent RPD falling out of the ring. Revera followed it up with a suicide dive. 


But it still wasn’t the end and RPD continued to kick out and protect his championship. He hit a TKO and an elbow drop from the top rope, which Lance kicked out of. He tried to follow up with a Superman Punch but Revera reversed it into a Michinoku Driver, but only for 2. Lance then hit a German and a super kick but RPD caught him with an ankle lock. 


Revera was still in it and headed to the top rope for a moonsault but RPD dodged sending Lance on his face. It could have been for the win had Lance not been so close to the ropes. 


Everyone was already on the edge of their seats, but this was when it all started to really kick off. Lance cleverly pulled the referee into the firing line of the Superman Punch, meaning there were no consequences for him grabbing the ringbell hammer and using it as a weapon. 


Revera went for the cover… a new referee came down to the ring… 1…2…3!


Revera had won the OPW Championship and Morecambe was up in arms!

Or had he?


Revera grabbed the belt and tried to scarper with the hammer down his pants, but Rick Markus appeared and blocked his escape route. The referee quickly noticed the hammer. Then, Ethan Edwards came out to assert that there was no way it would end like that - and besides, the bell hadn’t rung to end the match. 


Alight with rage, Revera was forced back inside the ring where he was met with a huge springboard cutter and a Superman Punch, RPD picking up the rightful victory. 


Morecambe would have breathed a sigh of relief if anyone was capable of catching their breath. 


What a match and what a show to round off another year of OPW action! What stories will unfold in 2024? You can get your tickets now to ensure you get to find out first-hand!



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