Alex Shelley vs. Chris Sabin - Prestige Combat Clash PDX
07.12.2024
Transcript
00:00How many times do I have to say we're not enemies?
00:08Round and around and around we go tonight
00:14The motor city machine guns face each other
00:17I know all the things that are bad for me
00:19I don't really care what they say
00:22I've been this way since seventeen
00:24Eighteen, nineteen till I'm in the grid
00:26I know they don't wanna smoke with me
00:29But again, what's the point? It ain't
00:31Sitting on the corner of the park with a loaded gun
00:33Broad day blast in the middle of the city
00:45How many times do I have to say we're not enemies?
00:52Round and around and around we go tonight
01:17Tell you what, truly the end of an era
01:19Potentially here with our next matchup
01:21That video package really, really drives home
01:24What's at stake here
01:26No one can say what is next
01:30For the Motor City Machine Guns
01:31Except the machine guns themselves
01:35What I can say, Brian Zane
01:38Is that this is the end of an era
01:40This is the end of a chapter
01:42And it's gonna be something very, very special
01:45For us, for these competitors
01:47And for everyone here in attendance
02:06He is a record-setting former ten-time X Division champion
02:14With a career of over two decades under his belt
02:18And world and tag team gold
02:21Damn near everywhere he has been
02:23Brian, there is no choice but to hail Saban
02:27This is a matchup that fans here at Prestige
02:30Have been wanting for a very long time
02:33And I'm so glad we're finally getting it
02:35I mean, I've got goosebumps, Jordan
02:44The challenge was first issued on New Year's Eve
02:48Eve of 2022
02:50At the Things We Carry in Worcester, Massachusetts
02:53The match was scheduled for Roseland 6, September of 2023
02:59Of course, ruined like all good things here at Prestige
03:02By the noise
03:04They locked horns in a four-way match
03:06In January of this year at Roseland 7
03:10But finally, as the clock is ticking
03:14We get it
03:15One-on-one
03:16Mano y mano
03:17Right here
03:18Right now
03:24Brian, we talked about what a special life this is
03:26For Steve Dresseling
03:27No one more synonymous with this organization
03:30Than that man right here
03:33And it's a vote in Hailey
03:35From the Motor City, Michigan
03:43This is
03:45Alex
03:50Kelly
03:57The only two-time champion
03:59In our company's history
04:01With over 700 days under his belt
04:06He has flown the flag of Prestige
04:09And done so proudly
04:11And I cannot think of a more apropos way
04:14Or a more apropos place
04:17For him to say goodbye
04:19Or perhaps, well, see you real soon
04:22Than against his comrade
04:24His best friend
04:25His brother
04:27And Chris Saban
04:29You said it, Jordan
04:30Nobody has been, or few people I should say
04:33Have been as synonymous with this organization
04:36Damn sure all professional wrestling
04:38The last 25 years
04:40Like Alex Shelley
04:41These two men in the ring right now
04:44Are probably responsible
04:46For I'd say 85%
04:48Of your favorite young up-and-coming tag teams
04:51Let's put it that way
04:52These two men revolutionized the sport
04:54And they are the only revolutionaries
04:56We're gonna see on hand tonight
05:01The fans are saying it all
05:02Of course the Amazing Red as you alluded to
05:04In action later on tonight
05:05Making his Prestige debut
05:07Against the Blackheart Leo Rush
05:09But you're absolutely right
05:10The innovation, the ingenuity of these two men
05:13In regards to tag team wrestling
05:15And independent wrestling
05:20These fans get it
05:23It is second to none
05:26The bell sounds
05:28And we are underway
05:29Brian, it is not the first time
05:32That the guns have done battle
05:34But it may very well be the last
05:37And what a night to host a match such as this
05:40Look at this
05:41The respect from the crowd has been amazing
05:44In their previous encounters
05:45Chris Saban has picked up victories five times
05:49Alex Shelley twice
05:50And one ended in a draw
05:52So despite Alex Shelley's popularity and reverence
05:55As Prestige Wrestling
05:56A former Prestige Wrestling World Champion
05:58I should say
05:59Chris Saban has the Duke
06:00He has the up and up
06:01Not only that
06:02He won the TNA Wrestling World Championship
06:05Years before Alex Shelley
06:07He reached the top of that mountain
06:09Years before Alex Shelley
06:11So you have to wonder
06:12Despite the mutual respect between these two men
06:15Does Saban maybe have a bit of a mental one-upsmanship here
06:19You know, these two are the best of friends
06:21They're as thick as thieves
06:22They're like brothers
06:23But at the end of the day
06:24Everyone in wrestling is an individual
06:26Is an alpha
06:27And is ultimately looking out for themselves
06:29So I better
06:30I agree with you, Jordan
06:31I think there might be a tinge of
06:33Maybe some jealousy
06:34Professional jealousy there
06:35On the part of Shelley
06:36Especially considering the importance of this matchup
06:39This is not just a simple exhibition
06:41Of Shelley with firm control of the leg
06:43Proving just that
06:45Nothing wrong with having an ego in wrestling, by the way
06:47It can really drive people
06:49You, an ego?
06:50Never
06:51Hey, I didn't say it
06:53It was after Shelley's victory
06:55Over Jaden the Unbelievable
06:57At a live three
06:58He didn't mince words
06:59He was very clear
07:00I'm not gonna BS you
07:01I'm not gonna be around much longer
07:03But William was kind enough
07:04To give me something on my way out
07:06And that's a singles match
07:07Against Chris Saban
07:08That's the last match I have in Prestige
07:10It's gonna be an honor to do it
07:12In front of all of you
07:13This is something that both of these men wanted
07:15And again, Brian
07:16I cannot overstate it
07:17How lucky are we to get it?
07:19It's our second match of the night
07:20I mean, this is the second match
07:22And we got a whole lot more to come
07:24It's truly an auspicious evening
07:27For Prestige Wrestling
07:28Don't forget to use that hashtag
07:29Twitter's blowing up about this
07:30Combat Clash PDX
07:32I'm sorry, X
07:35I'm an old man, Jordan
07:37Really jocking the position here
07:39The proverbial feeling out process
07:41Let me ask you, Brian
07:42How difficult is it
07:44To gain the upper hand
07:45Especially in the early going
07:47Against someone who knows you just as well
07:49If not better than yourself
07:50As we're seeing here
07:51Here we go
07:52Damn near looking in a mirror
07:53Between Shelly and Saban
07:55I mean, no one knows the other more
07:59I'm gonna put it to you that way
08:03I see some frustration
08:05On the part of Saban and Shelly
08:07I mean, these two
08:08They had to see this coming
08:09To be one of the greatest tag teams of all time
08:11You have to share the same brain, practically
08:21And again, Brian
08:22I'm not one to speculate
08:23I'm not omnipotent
08:24I'm not a pundit
08:25I'm not a journalist
08:26In that sense of the word, right?
08:28But there is a changing of the guard
08:30In store for the Motor City Machinigans
08:32Whatever or wherever that means
08:34And heading into that next chapter
08:36This is so important
08:37Personally and professionally
08:39For both of these men
08:40As Saban gets them
08:42Shoulders of Shelly down
08:43Crucifix, but only a two
08:45I mean, these two
08:46Really ushered in an entire generation
08:49Of wrestlers
08:50Wrestling fans
08:51Everyone respects these two
08:53And the accomplishments
08:55And the milestones
08:56They have achieved
08:57And tonight
08:59You know, it's not the first time
09:01Not once in a lifetime
09:02But it's rare to see these two go one-on-one
09:04And I cannot overstate this enough
09:06May very well be the last time
09:08We ever see it
09:1018 years as a tag team
09:11In and out of the ring
09:13I mean, Brian, for crying out loud
09:14These men are in a band together
09:16Doesn't get much closer than that
09:18Well, I'll tell you what
09:19This is going
09:20This could potentially ruin the tour
09:24Once again
09:25Locking up here
09:26The World Tour, Jordan
09:28Shelly
09:30Takes Saban down to the canvas
09:32Keeping control of the arm
09:33Once again
09:34Shoulders down
09:35No!
09:36Transitioning perhaps
09:37To the Motor City Stretch
09:38But gets Saban's shoulders down
09:39Interestingly, Brian
09:40Looking to steal it here
09:41Looking to finish it quick
09:42Trying to eke out a victory
09:44Instead of making Saban tap
09:46Or getting a more decisive cover
09:47You know, sometimes it's one of those early ones
09:49That get you
09:50A wrestler can fall into a false sense of confidence
09:53And think, oh, they're not going to get me in the early going
09:55And next thing you know
09:56You're down with a headlock takeover
09:59Do you think that's what we're seeing here
10:00With Alec Shelly or Chris Saban?
10:02Do you think
10:03Because of Alec Shelly's success here
10:05As a former two-time prestige wrestling world champion
10:07Because of Saban's historical success
10:09In their previous meetings
10:11Do you think either of these men
10:12Are going to have pride coming back?
10:14Or will the pride come before the fall, as it were?
10:17I don't know
10:18I think both of these men are
10:20Tenured enough and secure enough
10:22In their careers
10:24That hopefully we're not going to see anything
10:26Any implosion tonight
10:28But I wouldn't put it past them
10:29A very respectful gesture
10:32From Shelly here
10:33Again, back to the center of the ring
10:36Back to the Greco-Roman knuckle lock here
10:40It's Alec Shelly with a straitjacket of sorts
10:43Picking Saban with his own arms
10:45Right, when you eliminate the arms from the equation
10:48It really can compromise a lot of your offense
10:51And especially if you have to cut your own wind off
10:54But Saban saying
10:55Anything you can do, I can do better
10:56Giving Shelly a taste of his own proverbial medicine
10:59Nick Shelly escaping
11:02Making it look so easy
11:03Making it look so clean
11:05Making it look so smooth
11:07As he does so
11:08One of the best in the world, technically speaking
11:10Is Alec Shelly
11:12We're watching a clinic here
11:13And you know, speaking of wrestling clinics
11:15I cannot wait for Roderick Strong
11:17Hold on, Saban has the shoulders of Shelly down
11:20Getting ahead of myself here
11:22Perhaps it's Alec Shelly getting ahead of himself here
11:24Once again, Saban looking for the cover
11:26Floats over, but barely a one
11:28There we go, going for that ankle
11:29Is Shelly here
11:30Perhaps trying to steal it
11:31Perhaps trying to eke out a victory
11:33As I said, is the only way
11:34These men know each other so well
11:36That you're not going to hit a signature
11:37Or a finishing maneuver
11:38Because frankly, your opponent knows it's coming
11:41They'll see it from a mile away
11:42And here's another question for you, Jordan
11:44Suppose one of them is in a position
11:46To really hit that kill shot
11:48Do you think either of these men
11:49Really have the killer instinct
11:50To put the other away like that?
11:52Again, it's professional respect
11:54It's professional courtesy
11:55I spoke to it during Alec Shelly's
11:57Prestige Wrestling World Championship defense
11:59Against Jonathan Gresham in Asbury Park, New Jersey
12:02Another longtime friend and confidant of Shelly
12:05Maybe not at the same level as Saban, but still
12:07Sometimes you hit your friends even harder
12:10As a sign of respect
12:11Because you know they could take it
12:12Perhaps that's what we'll see
12:15Saban staying on top of Shelly
12:16Maybe with, no
12:17I thought he was maybe going for
12:18The Boulder City Stretch
12:20Shelly's own finishing hold
12:22Shades of Amira
12:23Kylie Rae in her opening contest
12:24But it's Shelly
12:25Hitting the foot on the bottom rope
12:26Forcing the break
12:27That's good ring awareness
12:29That's what two plus decades
12:31Of entering experience gets you
12:33And we talk about the respect
12:34Between these two men
12:35Interestingly, Saban
12:37Taking every second allotted to him
12:39By referee Devin Campbell
12:40Not breaking the hold
12:41Until he absolutely had to
12:43Look at this
12:44Going to the abdominal stretch again
12:46Really wrenching at the ribs
12:49In the midsection of Shelly here
12:51Snapmare takes him down
12:53Now going back to the legs
12:54Maybe they can figure four
12:56That's quite the inventive way to get to it
12:58I don't think I've ever seen that hold before
13:01These men always innovating
13:03Always creating
13:04Always pushing the boundaries
13:06Of professional wrestling
13:07Even two decades later
13:10Look at this
13:11Trying to
13:12He's stomping on that arm
13:13And trying to bend it
13:14Look how he's bending it
13:15Look at that left hip
13:17And the way it's being just bent across
13:20Boy, that is painful
13:21A gnarly maneuver
13:23Cinched in from Chris Saban
13:24You can see Alex Shelly
13:26Reaching for the rope
13:27Trying to wiggle some feeling
13:28Back into his finger
13:29Do everything he can
13:31To avoid tapping out
13:32And again, Saban realized
13:33That maybe his grip was slipping
13:35Maybe Shelly was escaping
13:36Immediately transitioned
13:37From one hold to the next
13:38And look at that
13:39Shelly is face down in the canvas
13:41I mean, that is
13:42First of all, that's pretty embarrassing
13:44But you gotta try and fight your way out of that
13:46And when you're down like that
13:47The weight of your opponent on you
13:49Tough to breathe
13:50Tough to think
13:53It's Alex Shelly
13:56Getting back up to a vertical base here
14:00Using that power
14:01Perhaps feeding off of the prestige faithful
14:04He's made no bones about it
14:05He considers prestige a second home
14:07He says he never would have won
14:08The TNA World Championship
14:10Without winning the prestige
14:11Wrestling World Championship first
14:13And using that love
14:14As an adopted son of the Pacific Northwest
14:17To rally here
14:18Against brother Chris Saban
14:20More than love
14:21That was an Alex Shelly
14:22And they are showing up in a big way
14:24For the Motor City Machine Guns
14:26I mean, this crowd
14:27It's split
14:28Might have to call them
14:29The Rose City Machine Guns
14:30After tonight
14:31Given this reception
14:32My goodness
14:34Alex Shelly
14:35You can see
14:36Feeling the effects of that
14:37Flurry of submission offense
14:39From Chris Saban
14:42That's the thing about a submission hold
14:44Especially from an expert
14:45A tactician like Chris Saban
14:47It doesn't go away
14:48As soon as the hold is released
14:49The lingering effects are felt
14:50Minutes
14:51Hours
14:52Sometimes days later
14:54You said it
14:55And right now
14:56It's Shelly's turn to try and turn
14:57Saban into a pretzel
14:59Turnabout is fair play here
15:01Shelly
15:02We often speak to a physical therapist
15:04For several years
15:06Meaning he knows every way
15:07The body needs to be bent
15:08To feel better
15:09He also knows every way
15:10The body needs to be bent
15:11To feel a lot worse
15:12Shoulders down on the backslide
15:13But only a two
15:15That's professional development for you
15:17Jordan
15:19Here we go
15:20Texas Cloverleaf perhaps
15:22He's got the legs of Saban
15:24Clasped
15:26Has to sit through
15:27No
15:28Oh, look at this
15:29Oh, knee in the back
15:32Really wrenching the knee
15:34One of the hardest parts of the body
15:36Into the shoulder of Chris Saban
15:38Shoulder and the lower ribs
15:40That is not comfortable
15:42That's the thing about Alex Shelly
15:43As a physical therapist
15:44As a wrestler of two decades
15:46He knows how to maximize that punishment
15:48He's not gonna hit one body part
15:50Or two body parts
15:51He's gonna hit multiple in one fell swoop
15:53Look at this
15:54He's tangling up the legs
15:55He's
15:57Oh, man
15:58Tit for tat
15:59Like you said, Jordan
16:00Very similar to what Saban
16:01Had Alex in earlier
16:02Bending the arms in ways
16:04They are simply not supposed to go
16:06Applying the entire weight of his upper body
16:09On the left shoulder of Saban
16:13This is not where you wanna be
16:14If you're Saban here, Zane
16:16Absolutely not
16:17And this could be it right here
16:18Shoulders down
16:19No
16:22These two men are incredibly crafty
16:23Incredibly tough
16:24Even if they didn't know
16:26Each other's moves
16:27With the back of their hand
16:28I think this would be a tough one to call
16:30Tough one to pick
16:33It's no secret that it has been
16:34An up and down year for Alex Shelley
16:36Losing the Prestige Wrestling World Championship
16:39To Alan Angels
16:40Losing to Timothy Thatcher
16:42Last time we saw him in Prestige
16:43And Alive are just breathing
16:45And Chris Saban
16:46Looking to make it three for three here
16:48Look at this, Brian Zane
16:49Set of the ring
16:50Oh, can he get that arm hooked?
16:52Down over the chin
16:53What a clutch here
16:54He's got the legs
16:55The body scissors cinched in on the abdomen
16:58But it's Alex Shelley
16:59Reversing the pressure here
17:01Clever, clever
17:05Saban's clever nature
17:07May have been his undoing
17:10Got a little too fancy
17:11Got a little too fun with it
17:12Now Alex Shelley reversing
17:14We're going surfing in Portland, Brian Zane
17:17Oh my goodness
17:18There's no waves in the Willamette River
17:21Oh, look at that
17:22Anything you can do
17:24I can do better
17:26These men know each other
17:28Like the back of their hands
17:31Speaking of the back of the hands
17:32Chris Saban clasping the hands of Shelley
17:34Now reversing to a pin
17:37Shelley kicks out
17:40We talk about the greatness of Saban
17:42But we've also talked about Alex Shelley
17:44Being that kind of adopted Portlander here
17:46This is Prestige is more Shelley's organization
17:49Than it is Saban's
17:50This is a home base for Alex Shelley, absolutely
17:52So imagine the embarrassment that could happen
17:54As Saban is the winner tonight
17:56But is there an added pressure for Alex Shelley
17:58That maybe Chris Saban doesn't feel
18:00We've seen him several times here in Prestige
18:02A standout performance against Speedball Mike Bailey
18:04Several tag team wins
18:06Alongside Alex Shelley
18:08But maybe that same pressure or lack thereof
18:10Is what's keeping him here
18:12STF cinched it
18:13Did he tap? I thought he tapped there for a second
18:14No, so close, so close here
18:16But Alex Shelley able to survive
18:18Able to stay in this if only for the moment
18:20He's crawling, he's reaching for the ropes
18:22But he is a country away
18:23Saban, look at the grip
18:25On his own wrist there
18:26But there's some wiggle room
18:28Shelley's trying to fight out of it
18:29I don't know if Shelley will tap
18:31I don't know if his ego will let him do it
18:33But he reaches the bottom rope
18:34I was going to say, Zane
18:35I think we were seconds away
18:36From seeing Alex Shelley pass out
18:42These fans here in Portland
18:44They are loving everything they see here
18:55Saban staying on top of Shelley
18:56Maybe thinking cradle shock
18:57Has the fireman's carry
18:58But Shelley escapes thinking shell shock
19:00No, Saban rolls him up
19:02Wait a minute, whoa
19:03No, so close, so close
19:05Look at that
19:06And Shelley reversing the submission once again
19:08The body scissors applied this time
19:10To the shoulders, the upper back of Chris Saban
19:13Don't forget that neck crank
19:15He's got the neck right fine here
19:18Chris Saban onto his knees
19:20Maybe trying to steal a quick one here
19:22Trying to keep Shelley's shoulders down
19:24Use his own weight, his own momentum against him
19:26They're so close to being down, Jordan
19:28Texas Claw with a leap of his own
19:30Look at that
19:32Just bending at the back of Shelley
19:34He's even farther away from the bottom rope
19:37Than the last time we saw him in this predicament
19:39Almost saw a bit of worry there in Saban's eyes
19:41If I didn't know any better
19:42The strength
19:43STF, STF once again
19:44But this time Shelley changes course
19:46Gets the bottom rope on the other side of the ring
19:48Such ring awareness from the expert Shelley
19:50But I like that Saban doesn't waste time
19:53He doesn't waste motion
19:54When one hold starts to slip
19:56He goes right into the next one
19:57Shades of Zack Sabre Jr.
19:59Who we saw in an instant classic
20:00Against Daniel Makabe at Roseland 8
20:02Again, looking for the cradle shock
20:04But Shelley reverses into a sleeper
20:06Time honored sleeper
20:08Here we go, now into the arm bar
20:10No, border city stretch
20:12The same move
20:13He's got him
20:14That won him many
20:15A prestige wrestling world championship match
20:17Could win him, perhaps his last in prestige
20:20Going for it
20:21Almost rolled through it
20:22And Saban, well look at that
20:23But this time it's Shelley rolling through
20:25Back to the center
20:26Nowhere for Saban to go
20:27Wait a minute
20:28But Saban, shoulders down
20:29No
20:30My God, that was close, Brian Sane
20:32Shell shocked
20:33I think you could have fit a sheet of paper
20:35Under Devin Campbell's hand
20:36But not much else
20:37Cradle shock reversed into a sunset flip
20:39But Saban with a jackknife
20:40No, Shelley
20:41Well, it's chaos
20:44Saban steals it
20:45Saban steals it
20:46Saban steals it
20:47Here is your winner
20:49Chris Saban
20:54Jordan, you were talking all match long
20:56About the potential of a stolen victory
20:59And who knows
21:00You were talking about Shelley doing it the whole time
21:02Who would have guessed
21:03It was Chris Saban pulling that roll up
21:04From out of nowhere
21:06And I dare call this an upset
21:08Mark the record books
21:10One draw
21:11Two for Shelley
21:13And after tonight
21:14Six for Chris Saban
21:18Damn
21:20You know, Brian Sane
21:23As I said
21:24I have no idea
21:26What is next
21:27For the Motor City Machine Guns
21:29But what I do know
21:31Is that that is one of the best tag teams
21:34Of all time
21:36And it has been one of the greatest pleasures
21:38Of my career
21:39To call their matches
21:41Here in Prestige Wrestling
21:43Thank you, Chris Saban
21:45Thank you, Alex Shelley
21:47Got more than a little Detroit in my soul
21:49Here tonight
21:51The Motor City Machine Guns
21:53Are responsible
21:55For wrestling as it is today
21:57That is not opinion
21:58That is not conjecture
21:59That is fact
22:00And we here at Prestige Wrestling
22:02Are so proud
22:03To have brought them to your screens
22:05Here tonight
22:13Wow, what a moment
22:14What a moment
22:15For these men
22:16What a moment
22:17For these fans
22:18And what a moment for Prestige, Jordan
22:20The goosebumps are shooting through my suit right now
22:26Thank you for the music, gentlemen
22:28Thank you more than we could ever hope to say
22:36Wow
22:45A couple of legends there
22:48And Jordan, you know what?
22:50I hate to change the mood here
22:52And you know