PWG Announce Full Battle of Los Angeles 2017 Line-Up

Over the last few years, Pro Wrestling Guerrilla’s Battle of Los Angeles tournament has established itself as one of the premier events on the wrestling calendar. It brings together a who’s who of the independent wrestling circuit as well as international talent and it generally leads to three fantastic days of wrestling.

This year’s event takes place between September 1st and 3rd. Let’s look at who will be looking to impress.

Flamita
Flamita is a 22 year old Mexican wrestler that is known for his high flying expertise. He impressed in the Super Strong Style 16 tournament in PROGRESS earlier this year and I would expect something similar here.

Keith Lee
Keith Lee is a beast, plain and simple. At 6 ft 2 in tall and 290 pounds he is a powerhouse but it is his agility that really shines. He is just as comfortable executing a moonsault as he is a powerbomb and he has a ring presence about him that should take him far in the wrestling world. There is a reason he is called ‘Limitless’.

WALTER
WALTER is a Austrian wrestler who has made his name in Germany and the UK. He made it to the final of WXW’s 16 Carat Gold tournament earlier this year and another deep tournament run isn’t out of the question here. He is the definition of a hoss wrestler and it is great to see him have his opportunity to shine in America.

Travis Banks
Travis Banks has been having one hell of a year so far, whether as part of the South Pacific Power Trip or as a singles competitor. He won the Super Strong Style 16 tournament in PROGRESS earlier this year and I would love to see the New Zealander get to the final of this tournament and establish himself as one of the best wrestlers around.

Rey Fenix
Known simply as Fenix in Lucha Underground, he is one of the best lucha libre highfliers around. He is one half of the PWG tag champions and has competed in the Battle of Los Angeles before. He is a wrestler that should be able to have a good match with anyone else in this tournament.

Dezmond Xavier
Xavier is a wrestler who is known for high risk style. When it goes off without a hitch his matches can be great but his style can also result in matches that sometimes feel disjointed. Hopefully his appearance at this year’s tournament is a good one.

Donovan Dijak
Dijak is another man who is much more athletic than his build would suggest. Most wrestlers who are 6 ft 7 in tall primarily rely on their size but, as has been seen so far this year, he is not averse to flying around when the situation calls for it.

Jeff Cobb
Cobb is a former amateur wrestler who represented Guam at the 2004 Olympics. He has a fantastic combination of strength and speed and frequently puts on high class matches. He also wrestles in Lucha Underground as Matanza.

Trevor Lee
Lee has been one of the most underappreciated wrestlers for a while now. He has held the TNA X-Division title and consistently puts on good matches in PWG. Some of his title matches in CWF Mid-Atlantic are of the very highest standard.

Flash Morgan Webster
Webster has been making his name on the UK scene for a number of years now, most notably in PROGRESS and Attack! Pro Wrestling. This will be his big chance to breakout in America.

Zack Sabre Jr
The best technical wrestler on the planet. Sabre Jr holds titles all over the world and is a former winner of this tournament. He was the PWG Champion until very recently and may well go far in this tournament. He is pretty much guaranteed to have at least one great match in this tournament.

Sammy Guevara
Guevara is a young wrestler that has only been wrestling for a few years. He has tremendous upside but there have been rumours about a bad attitude. That shouldn’t make any difference to the quality of matches he puts on in this tournament though.

Mark Haskins
Haskins is one of the best talents on the UK scene and he consistently puts on good matches in companies such as PROGRESS. He is yet to really break out in America but this could well be his moment.

Jonah Rock
Jonah Rock is an Australian wrestler who has toured with Pro Wrestling NOAH in Japan, in addition to being successful in his homeland. Of all the people in this tournament Rock is the one I know least about but I am intrigued to see what he brings to this tournament.

Brian Cage
As Excalibur likes to say on commentary, ‘Brian Cage is a fucking machine’. That is an apt statement as he definitely doesn’t look human. He is a regular in PWG and Lucha Underground and from his look alone I’m constantly amazed that he doesn’t have a job with WWE.

Rey Horus
Horus is a Mexican wrestler that has also competed under the gimmick of Dragon Azteca Jr. He is capable of putting on great matches under the right circumstances and I would guess that they will match him up with someone that he is familiar with in the first round.

Marty Scurll
Scurll is the defending Battle of Los Angeles champion and will be one of the favourites once again this year. Over the last two years he has established himself as a worldwide star, wrestling in the UK, Japan and America extensively.

Michael Elgin
It will be a busy end to the summer for Elgin as he is one of two wrestlers in this tournament, along with Zack Sabre Jr, who is also in New Japan’s G1 Climax tournament. Elgin has really stepped up to the next level since he became a New Japan regular and I would expect a strong showing here.

TK Cooper
The other half of the South Pacific Power Trip. I am delighted to see him in this tournament as he was on one hell of a roll before his UK visa ran out and he had to return to New Zealand. In the UK he was primarily a tag wrestler but he is equally adept as a singles competitor.

Matt Sydal
The former Evan Bourne is always a reliable person to put in a tournament such as this as he is a consistent performer against any style of wrestler. He won’t win the tournament but he will make people look good along the way.

Sami Callihan
Callihan is a PWG regular and was always a shoo-in to be included in this tournament. He will provide good matches for as long as he remains in the tournament.

Matt Riddle
Riddle has only been wrestling since 2014, having previously been a mixed martial artist, but I haven’t seen anyone take to it as quick since Kurt Angle. He has been having great matches on almost every show he has wrestled on recently and could well go all the way here.

Ricochet
Quite possibly the best high flier in the world and winner of this tournament in 2014. Ricochet is an absolutely spectacular wrestler and whoever he faces it is sure to be a hell of a lot of fun.

Penta El Zero M
The wrestler known as Pentagon Dark in Lucha Underground is one half of the current PWG tag champions. He is a great wrestler with a unique look and he brings something different to any show he appears on.