Check out the footage from BattleZone as August Joyce battles the MWA World Champion at the Stadio Olimpico, Italy.
Steve Pinex vs August Joyce
The People’s Choice received a healthy ovation from the crowd while making his way to the ring. When Pinex, accompanied with Vivien Storm made his way to the ring, everyone knew that he was NOT in the best of moods. Stoic while Scotty Dillon gave the men their instructions, it was clear that Pinex was all business. Once the bell rang, the two men circled the ring before tying up in the center. Pinex would have the upper hand initially, muscling Joyce back into the corner before breaking. The break would be clean, with Pinex stepping back to give Joyce room. They’d come together in a tie-up in the center once more, with Pinex using his weight to shove Joyce into the corner once more. He’d give Joyce another clean break, going back to the center of the ring, his face expressionless. They’d tie up for a third time; this time, they would struggle toward the ropes then do a lap around the ring before ending up in a corner.
This time, Pinex would refuse to break; Scotty would get in between the two men to force the break, giving Pinex an opening to slap Joyce. Pinex smirked; Joyce ripped the smirk away with a double leg takedown, going at Pinex with closed fists. The two would trade having the upper hand before Scotty would get them to break. Pinex would attempt another slap, only for Joyce to counter then fire back with a slap of his own. Joyce would catch Pinex with a Euro uppercut then shove him against the ropes before attempting an Irish whip. Pinex would counter the whip, holding onto Joyce’s arm then yanking him back into an overhead belly to belly suplex.
Pinex would quickly pull Joyce off the mat, only to take him down with a snap suplex. Pinex would pull Joyce up then quickly pull off a back breaker, holding Joyce in place by pressing down on Joyce’s left thigh with his left hand while pressing down underneath Joyce’s chin with the right. Scotty checks on Joyce, who refused to submit. Pinex would let Joyce hit the mat before pulling him up once more then whipping him into the far corner. Pinex would charge across the ring, but find nobody home. Joyce would make an adjustment while Pinex staggered back out of the corner, catching him with a neck breaker.
Joyce would sit Pinex up, back toward the opposite corner then spring forward. In a move reminiscent of one that Pinex has used many times, Joyce would execute a neck whip. Joyce would pull Pinex up into a seated position then apply a neck vice. Pinex would get up to his right knee before forcing himself up to his feet; Pinex would back Joyce against the ropes then whip him across the ring. Joyce would leapfrog over the champ then duck beneath a clothesline attempt on the rebound. On the next rebound, Pinex would catch Joyce with a whip-like power body slam.
Pinex would pull Joyce up off the mat, apply an arm wringer then catch him right below the chin with a hook kick. Pinex would pull Joyce off the mat, then back him into the nearest corner. Pinex would whip Joyce as hard as he could across the ring; Joyce’s back would hit the corner so hard that he’d bounce out then land on his back.
Smelling blood, Pinex turned up the heat, starting by pulling Joyce off the mat then hoisting him up in the air with a gorilla press. Walking to the center of the ring, he’d toss Joyce in the air, pivot his own body slightly then let Joyce land on his shoulder before quickly driving him into the mat with a front slam. With Joyce prone on the mat, Pinex would catch him with the Pinex Stomp.
Pinex would pull Joyce up off the mat after taunting him, only to get taken by surprise by a jawbreaker. With Pinex reeling from the jawbreaker, Joyce would catch him with a dropkick, sending him into the corner. Joyce would sprint toward the corner then catch Pinex with another dropkick. When Pinex staggered out of the corner, Joyce caught him in the midsection with a boot then executed his own snap suplex. Joyce would quickly pull Pinex to his feet, apply a standing head scissors then drill him with a picture perfect piledriver. Joyce would cover Pinex, but only get a two-count.
Joyce would pull Pinex to his feet, back him against the ropes then whip him across the ring. Joyce caught Pinex with a back body drop before getting in a series of arm drags. Joyce would whip Pinex across the ring once more, catch him with a boot to the midsection then take him down with a swinging neckbreaker. Joyce would cover, but would only come out with another two. Undaunted, Joyce would pull Pinex to his feet once again before whipping him into the corner. Joyce would work Pinex’s midsection before whipping him across the ring. Joyce would catch Pinex with a running forearm then drive him face-first into the mat with a running bulldog. Joyce would cover Pinex once more, but only receive a two count.
Joyce would pull Pinex up before applying a standing head scissors. Joyce would attempt to hoist Pinex in the air, only for Pinex to block it. Joyce would then work Pinex’s back with a series of clubbing forearms before attempting once more to hoist Pinex into a Canadian backbreaker. Pinex would muscle out into a back body drop. Pinex would pull Joyce up, back him against the ropes then whip him into the ring; Pinex himself would hit the ropes on the opposite side of the ring then bounce off them. When the two came together in the center, they were clearly thinking the same thing, as they nailed tandem clotheslines.
After an eight-count, Joyce was the first to stir. He’d pull Pinex to his feet, back him against the ropes then whip him across the ring before lowering his head for a back body drop. Pinex made an adjustment, catching Joyce in a standing head scissors before quickly hoisting him in the air for what appeared to be a powerbomb. Instead of driving Joyce to the mat, Pinex would fall backward while pulling Joyce forward, pulling his own knees up in the process. The collision of Joyce’s back with Pinex’s knees received a loud “OOOOOOOOOOOOH!!” from the crowd. Pinex would apply Decimation (Inverted Muta Lock) in the center of the ring. With the hold supplied and essentially hanging upside down, Joyce would hold out for as long as he could to avoid submitting. But the earlier damage done to his back, in combination with the relentless yanking on his chin by the champ, gave him no choice BUT to submit.
Winner:
Steve Pinex