#25 Unscheduled Scramble, Part II
Jonathon Gresham vs. Aaron Epic vs. Chris Jones vs. Louis Lyndon vs. John Silver vs. Johnny Vandal
Year: 2011
Match Rating: ***1/2
Quote: When quarterfinal qualifier, Lince Dorado, was forced to withdraw from the tournament due to the birth of his child, bookers were left scrambling to find his replacement. So it was, on the fifth anniversary of the last “Re-entry Scramble”, that this match kicked off what many in attendance argued was the best night of wrestling in the history of the Jeff Peterson Memorial Cup.
#24 Getting Ready to EVOLVE
Davey Richards vs. TJ Perkins
Year: 2009
Match Rating: ***1/2
Quote: The theory of evolution for years was a highly debated subject. In the semifinals of the 2009 tournament, however TJ Perkins and Davey Richards aimed to put any doubt to rest. Putting forth a match that featured a style of hybrid wrestling that would become known as EVOLVE, these two gave everyone an idea of just what to expect from the new promotion.
#23 Starting Out With a Bang!
Naphtali vs. Seijin Akii
Year: 2003
Match Rating: ***
Quote: When IPW Hardcore curated the Jeff Peterson Memorial Cup in the spring of 2003 there were a number of intriguing matches that could have kicked off the tournament. However it is quite fitting that close friend of Jeff’s, Naphtali, would be one of the two participants featured. Also fitting, was that a tournament that would become reknown for being on the cutting edge would feature this sprint that still holds up ten years later.
#22 Hero’s Welcome
Chris Hero vs. Matt Cross
Year: 2007
Match Rating: ***3/4
Quote: After a number of due-paying years on the independent scene, it was in 2007 that the wrestling world was ready to welcome Chris Hero into the upper-echelon of independent performers. Having been featured heavily as a main event player in the Ring of Honor and CHIKARA promotions, Hero capped the year by defeating Matt Cross in a fantastic final, to add the Jeff Peterson Memorial Cup to his list of accomplishments.
#21 JPC Gets UltraViolent!
Egotistico Fantastico vs. Scotty Vortekz
Year: 2009
Match Rating: ***1/2
Quote: Like an ultraviolent lighttube smash to the head, Vortekz and Fantastico hit the crowd with a unique blend of high-flying, hard-hitting and ultraviolent action in this opening round match in Brooksville, Florida.
#20 A Chance at Redemption
Johnny Gargano vs. Jonathon Gresham
Year: 2011
Match Rating: ****
Quote: Having earned his way back into the tournament by virtue of the scramble, Jonathon Gresham went on to push tournament favorite Gargano to the limit in this quarterfinal match. Redemption was the theme to this match as Gresham had bowed out in the first round after a hard-fought loss to Bobby Fish and Gargano had come up short in the 2009 edition of the Jeff Peterson Cup.
#19 All Hail the King!
Kenny King vs. Jigsaw
Year: 2008
Match Rating: ***1/2
Quote: Fresh off a successful debut with Ring of Honor, Florida-Native Kenny King had the crowd eating out of the palm of his hand as he dispatched CHIKARA stalwart, Jigsaw, in this opening round match. A favorite moment of mine was King’s interaction with the ref and crowd as he applied a seated abdominal stretch to Jigsaw during the course of this match.
#18 Unscheduled (Star-Studded) Scramble, Part I
TJ Wilson vs. Arik Cannon vs. El Generico vs. Human Tornado vs. Jake Manning vs. TJ Mack
Year: 2006
Match Rating: ***1/2
Quote: If you were to play Six Degrees using just the names of the gentlemen featured in this match it wouldn’t take you long to cover every major wrestling promotion in the world. You would also cover Hollywood blockbuster, Nacho Libre.
#17 Future Champions Collide
Chris Hero vs. Erick Stevens
Year: 2007
Match Rating: ****
Quote: Durring his run to the 2007 tournament championship, Chris Hero, likely did not receive as tough a test as 2008 Tournament Winner Erick Stevens provided him with in this quarterfinal match. While 2007 was Hero’s year, it was this match specifically which led to Stevens being considered the prohibitive favorite in 2008.
#16 Sunshine State Showdown
Erick Stevens vs. Chris Jones
Year: 2008
Match Rating: ***3/4
Quote: The Bones movement in the state of Florida was in full force, and upstart Chris Jones was at the forefront. In this opening round match he returned the favor that Stevens had provided Chris Hero with a year earlier in the form of his stiffest test on the way to the crown.
#15 THIS IS EVOLVE
TJ Perkins vs. Arik Cannon
Year: 2009
Match Rating: ***3/4
Quote: The wrestling world was ready to evolve in 2009 and the Jeff Peterson Memorial Cup that year was the conception. Two men who would go on to become main cogs for the promotion, Arik Cannon and TJ Perkins, gave those in attendance an ultimate preview and left them chanting “This Is Awesome”!
#14 Bah, Bah, Bah, Bah
Chris Sabin vs. Delirious
Year: 2005
Match Rating: ***1/2
Quote: The masked man known as Delirious would make a run to the 2006 semifinals, but not before first putting his crowd-pleasing style on display in this opening round match against 2005 winner Chris Sabin.
#13 Justice is Served
Justice vs. Chris Hero vs. Roderick Strong
Year: 2004
Match Rating: ****
Quote: Florida was well represented in the one and only three way dance in tournament history. That meant, there was a good chance the trophy would make its way home in 2004. After nearly a half hour of action, that in fact did happen, as Justice was served.
#12 Davey vs. Drake
Davey Richards vs. Drake Younger
Year: 2009
Match Rating: ****1/4
Quote: Many before the brackets were released would have expected this match to be the final. However as fate would have it these two men, both of which were world champions at the time, were faced with one another. I cannot remember an opening round having quite as much hype as this match did and Drake Younger and Davey Richards managed to go out and surpass the hype.
#11 Crowning a Champion
Reckless Youth vs. Sedrick Strong
Year: 2003
Match Rating: ***3/4
Quote: WRESTLING was at the forefront in the first tournament final as independent legend Reckless Youth would defeat Florida mainstay Sedrick Strong in the final of the very first Jeff Peterson Memorial Cup.
#10 Hail Sabin
Chris Sabin vs. Sonjay Dutt
Year: 2005
Match Rating: ****
Quote: TNA Wrestling had moved to Florida, and was having one of the highest quality years in the promotion’s history. Two of the kingpins of it’s X-Division, Sonjay Dutt and Chris Sabin made it to the 2005 final. It was there these two displayed, and by many accounts surpassed, the quality fans of TNA had come to expect.
#9 2011 Semifinals
Johnny Gargano vs. Mike Cruz, AR Fox vs. Bobby Fish
Year: 2011
Match Rating: ****1/4
Quote: It is hard to fathom a year with two higher quality bouts than the two that were featured in last year’s semifinals. That is why I will cheat and place BOTH matches here in my #9 slot.
#8 Mox Gets Dirty and Ugly
Jon Moxley vs. Arik Cannon
Year: 2010
Match Rating: ****
Quote: Before he was leading the Shield on WWE Television, the man formerly known as Jon Moxley made a run to 2010′s tournament finals. On the way there he met Arik Cannon in the semifinals and the two engaged in a bloodbath. It was something not remeniscant of anything before seen in a JPC tournament match.
#7 Knee-colepsy~!
Sami Callihan vs. Frightmare
Year: 2010
Match Rating: ****1/4
Quote: 2010 Winner, Sami Callihan withstood an absolute onslaught from every opponent he faced in route to teh trophy. That was no different when he faced CHIKARA’s Frightmare in the quarterfinals. He fought through a kneecolepsy while prone between two chairs and in doing so earned the crowds admiration which helped catapult him to the crown.
#6 Best in the World
Colt Cabana vs. CM Punk
Year: 2003
Match Rating: ***1/2
Quote: Part of the charm every year of the annual Jeff Peterson Memorial Cup is seeing today’s biggest stars on display before they are stars. Never was this more prevalent than in one of the very first matches in tournament history. Reigning WWE Champion, CM Punk, is one of the biggest names in the world today, however he, and beset friend, Colt Cabana (another future WWE competitor) in early 2003 were just starting to make a name for themselves based on the quality of their encounters in the midwest. And in the opening round match they proceeded to have another.
#5 THAT BUMP~!
Petey Williams vs. Naphtali
Year: 2004
Match Rating: ***1/4
Quote: In a match that is mostly remembered for an ugly spill Naphtali takes on a dive to the outside, it is often overlooked that the match which featured that bump itself is pretty darned good too. What also makes it special is Jeff’s close friend going toe-to-toe with one of the top international stars in the world at the time, “the Canadian Destroyer” Petey Williams.
#4 Stiff Classic
Gran Akuma vs. Craig Classic
Year: 2008
Match Rating: ****1/4
Quote: Many did not know what to expect going into this first round match in 2008. Gran Akuma was a major star for the CHIKARA promotion, but mainly as a tag team competitor. Craig Classic was a little known Florida-based worker who was fresh off his first tour with Big Japan Pro Wrestling. With the CHIKARA/BJW battle looming two short weeks after this event, these two went out with something to prove and absolutely stole the show in a brutally stiff clinic. This match goes down as the best opening match in tournament history.
#3 Mr. 630 Says Goodbye
Mike Cruz vs. Jerrelle Clark
Year: 2011
Match Rating: ****
Quote: The Jeff Peterson Memorial Cup has seen its share of high quality matches and special moments, but very few had branched the two like this quarterfinal bout that served as a torch passing to “the Real Deal” Mike Cruz, as “Mr. 630″ Jerrelle Clark bowed out and called it a career after 14 years.
#2 Five Star Comedy
Larry Sweeney vs. Sal Rinauro
Year: 2008
Match Rating: *****
Quote: When both Larry Sweeney and Sal Rinauro won their respective opening round matches, few could have imagined what was in store when they would meet in the quarterfinals. What ensued was one of the most entertaining comedic spectacles to have taken place in a wrestling ring. Two outlandish heels who the crowd couldn’t help but secretly love, at the top of their old-school games here.
#1 Simply the Best
AR Fox vs. Johnny Gargano
Year: 2011
Match Rating: *****
Quote: This quite simply is the best wrestling match I have ever witnessed live. The crowd on their feet for much of the contest, and the wrestlers that surrounded the ring left with their mouth’s agape in awe. When these two were finished, even Sean Waltman, who was in attendance could do nothing but stand and applaud. AR Fox, in what was considered an upset at the time, won the crown here and solidified himself as a Main Event player on the independent scene based on this performance.
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