Battle of Los Angeles (professional wrestling)

The Battle of Los Angeles tournament (the BOLA) is an annual independent wrestling tournament in North America, run and promoted by Pro Wrestling Guerrilla. Over the years, the tournament has attracted numerous famous independent wrestlers from A.J. Styles and Christopher Daniels to Bryan Danielson.

Contents

The tournament setup

In the first year of the Battle of Los Angeles there were sixteen participants, with eight opening round matches, four quarterfinal matches, two semifinal matches, and a final. In 2006 the tournament was expanded to 24 participants, which caused the addition of another eight person bracket and created three semifinals matches and an elimination three-way final match. In 2008 the tournament returned to its 16 man format. In 2011, the tournament was completely revamped, taking place for the first time as a one night tournament with only eight participants.

Tournament winners

Results

2005 Battle of Los Angeles

The first annual Battle of Los Angeles was held on September 3 and 4, 2005, in Los Angeles, California.[1][2]

  First round Second round Semifinals Finals
                                     
 Frankie Kazarian Pin  
 Rocky Romero  11:02 [1]  
     Rocky Romero Pin  
 
     Quicksilver  13:08 [2]  
 Quicksilver Pin
 Davey Richards  10:55 [1]  
     Quicksilver Pin  
     Chris Bosh  14:49 [2]  
 James Gibson Pin  
 Joey Ryan  15:59 [1]  
     James Gibson Pin
 
     Chris Bosh  10:40 [2]  
 Chris Bosh Pin
 El Generico  12:42 [1]  
     Chris Bosh Pin
     A.J. Styles  05:43 [2]
 American Dragon Sub  
 Ricky Reyes  19:19 [1]  
     American Dragon Sub
 
     Christopher Daniels  18:24 [2]  
 Christopher Daniels Pin
 Scott Lost  14:18 [1]  
     American Dragon Pin
     A.J. Styles  20:01 [2]  
 Jack Evans Pin  
 A.J. Styles  13:35 [1]  
     A.J. Styles Pin
 
     Kevin Steen  07:02 [2]  
 Kevin Steen Pin
 Super Dragon  33:02 [1]  
Non-tournament matches
Night One
Night Two

2006 Battle of Los Angeles

The 2006 BOLA was held on September 1, September 2 & September 3, 2006 in Reseda, CA.[3][4][5] The tournament saw the PWG returns of The Briscoe Brothers, after no-showing a number of events, and Super Dragon, who had been injured by the Dynasty earlier in the year.

Alex Koslov was originally scheduled to take part in the tournament, but was replaced by Austin Aries, after going on a six month learning excursion to Mexico.[6] After no-showing Threemendous a month earlier, Jay and Mark Briscoe were taken out of the tournament and replaced by Bryan Danielson and Dragon Kid, respectively.[6] However, Danielson separated his shoulder on August 26 in a Ring of Honor match against Colt Cabana[7] and was therefore taken out of the tournament and replaced by Disco Machine.

The 2006 BOLA saw the introduction of wrestlers from Dragon Gate, which was represented by three regulars (CIMA, Genki Horiguchi and Dragon Kid), and finished the tournament with a combined 5-3 record.

  1st Round Quarterfinals Semifinals
                           
   Colt Cabana Pin  
 Chris Sabin  09:01 [3]  
     Chris Sabin Pin  
     El Generico  16:20 [8]  
 Delirious Pin
   El Generico  15:42 [3]  
       El Generico Pin
     CIMA  19:01 [8]
   CIMA Pin  
 M-Dogg 20  12:00 [3]  
     CIMA Pin
     Kevin Steen  14:18 [8]  
 Kevin Steen Pin
   Matt Sydal  15:57 [3]  
  1st Round Quarterfinals Semifinals
                           
   Quicksilver Pin  
 Dragon Kid  12:05 [3]  
     Dragon Kid Sub  
     Roderick Strong  15:14 [8]  
 Roderick Strong Sub
   Rocky Romero  17:34 [3]  
       Roderick Strong Pin
     Davey Richards  11:07 [8]
   Austin Aries Sub  
 Disco Machine  10:26 [4]  
     Austin Aries Sub
     Davey Richards  14:13 [8]  
 Davey Richards Pin
   Ronin  12:12 [4]  
  1st Round Quarterfinals Semifinals
                           
   Jack Evans Pin  
 Claudio Castagnoli  14:26 [4]  
     Jack Evans Pin  
     Genki Horiguchi  10:23 [8]  
 Chris Hero Pin
   Genki Horiguchi  10:42 [4]  
       Jack Evans Pin
     Super Dragon  09:16 [8]
   Frankie Kazarian Pin  
 Scorpio Sky  12:21 [4]  
     Frankie Kazarian Bye
     Super Dragon  00:00† [8]  
 Super Dragon* Pin
   Necro Butcher*  25:59 [4]  

Finals: Davey Richards defeated CIMA‡ via pinfall in 13:42 to win the 2006 BOLA[8]

* = This was a No Disqualification match
† = Kazarian was attacked by the Dynasty allowing Super Dragon to get a bye to the next round
‡ = Super Dragon was attacked backstage by the Dynasty before his final match taking him out of the tournament

Non-tournament matches
Night One
Night Two
Excalibur eliminated Petey Williams via pinfall in 12:38
Joey Ryan eliminated Excalibur via pinfall in 13:42
Joey Ryan eliminated via countout in 15:56[8]
Night Three

2007 Battle of Los Angeles

The 2007 BOLA was held on August 31, September 1 and September 2, 2007 in Burbank, CA.[9][10][11] The event suffered many losses leading up to it including PWG World Champion Bryan Danielson suffering an eye injury, former World Champion Super Dragon pulling himself from the event and former BOLA winner Chris Bosh announcing his retirement out of nowhere. They were replaced by TNA wrestler Alex Shelley, local worker Tony Kozina and the Necro Butcher.[12] At Giant-Size Annual #4 the month before the event Austin Aries defeated Rocky Romero to take his spot in BOLA.[13]

  1st Round Quarterfinals Semifinals
                           
   Joey Ryan DQ  
 Chris Hero  16:42 [9]  
     Joey Ryan Sub  
     Roderick Strong  07:32 [11]  
 Roderick Strong Pin
   Austin Aries  14:30 [9]  
       Roderick Strong Pin
     Alex Shelley  15:30 [11]
   Jimmy Rave Pin  
 Matt Sydal  09:32 [9]  
     Matt Sydal Pin
     Alex Shelley  12:41 [11]  
 Alex Shelley Pin
   Tyler Black  20:07 [9]  
  1st Round Quarterfinals Semifinals
                           
   Claudio Castagnoli Pin  
 Doug Williams  14:33 [9]  
     Claudio Castagnoli Pin  
     PAC  12:10 [11]  
 Jack Evans Pin
   PAC  11:36 [9]  
       PAC Pin
     CIMA  14:12 [11]
   CIMA Pin  
 Human Tornado  10:53 [10]  
     CIMA Pin
     Shingo Takagi  12:05 [11]  
 Scott Lost Pin
   Shingo Takagi  11:53 [10]  
  1st Round Quarterfinals Semifinals
                           
   Necro Butcher Pin  
 Kevin Steen  08:15 [10]  
     Necro Butcher Pin  
     Nigel McGuinness  08:20 [11]  
 Nigel McGuinness Pin
   Davey Richards  15:32 [10]  
       Nigel McGuinness Pin
     El Generico  12:48 [11]
   El Generico Pin  
 Tony Kozina  12:09 [10]  
     El Generico Pin
     Dragon Kid  08:01 [11]  
 Dragon Kid Pin
   Susumu Yokosuka  16:36 [10]  

Finals: CIMA defeated Roderick Strong and El Generico via pinfall in 13:17 in an elimination three-way match to win the 2007 BOLA[11]

CIMA eliminated El Generico via pinfall in 08:57
CIMA eliminated Roderick Strong via pinfall in 13:17[11]
Non-tournament matches
Night One
Night Two
Night Three

2008 Battle of Los Angeles

The fourth annual BOLA was held on November 1 and November 2, 2008 in Burbank, CA.[14][15] The tournament was set to follow the 24 man format of the previous two and take place on the weekend of August 30 and 31, but PWG management was unable to book the talent they wished to for the event and decided to move the event and drop the entrants down to 16. On October 16 PWG announced that 17 participants will be in the tournament, this occurred because the two PWG commissioners (Excalibur and Dino Winwood) couldn't come to a conclusion on who would be the final entrant, which lead to one first round match being a three way dance.

  First round Second round Semifinals Finals
                                     
 Brandon Bonham Pin  
 Kenny Omega  16:35 [14]  
     Brandon Bonham Pin  
 
     Nigel McGuinness  08:31 [15]  
 Austin Aries Sub
 Nigel McGuinness  14:46 [14]  
     Nigel McGuinness DQ  
     Low Ki  08:48 [15]  
 Low Ki Sub  
 Roderick Strong  16:53 [14]  
     Low Ki Sub
 
     Masato Yoshino  7:45 [15]  
 El Generico * Sub
 Masato Yoshino *  13:52 [14]  
     Low Ki Sub
     Chris Hero  18:56 [15]
 T.J. Perkins DQ  
 Chuck Taylor  12:29 [14]  
     T.J. Perkins Pin
 
     Bryan Danielson  22:12 [15]  
 Bryan Danielson Sub
 Davey Richards  21:49 [14]  
     Bryan Danielson Sub
     Chris Hero  14:07 [15]  
 Chris Hero † Sub  
 Necro Butcher †  29:40 [14]  
     Chris Hero Sub
 
     Scott Lost  11:38 [15]  
 Scott Lost Pin
 Joey Ryan  12:39 [14]  

* = This match was a three way dance also involving Nick Jackson
† = This was a No Disqualification match

Non-tournament matches
Night Two

2009 Battle of Los Angeles

The fifth annual BOLA was held on November 20 and November 21, 2009, in Reseda, California.[16][17] Due to Bryan Danielson winning the PWG World Championship in his farewell match and afterwards vacating it, this year's would also become the new World Champion.[18] The first round of the tournament consisted of eight one-on-one matches between 16 wrestlers.[19] Local newcomers Brandon Gatson and Jerome Robinson earned their spots in the tournament by winning separate four-way matches at PWG's Against the Grain on October 2.[20] Chris Sabin was scheduled to take part in the tournament, but was forced to pull out due to a neck injury. He was replaced by another local newcomer Johnny Goodtime.[21]

  First round Second round Semifinals Finals
                                     
 Kenny Omega Pin  
 Kevin Steen  12:45 [16]  
     Kenny Omega Pin  
 
     Scott Lost  13:52 [17]  
 Scott Lost Pin
 Jerome Robinson  07:46 [16]  
     Kenny Omega Pin  
     Joey Ryan  15:05 [17]  
 Austin Aries Pin  
 Brian Kendrick  14:29 [16]  
     Brian Kendrick Pin
 
     Joey Ryan  09:01 [17]  
 Colt Cabana Pin
 Joey Ryan  10:49 [16]  
     Kenny Omega Pin
     Roderick Strong  19:40 [17]
 Brandon Gatson Pin  
 Nick Jackson  12:16 [16]  
     Brandon Gatson Pin
 
     Alex Shelley  11:51 [17]  
 El Generico Pin
 Alex Shelley  16:44 [16]  
     Brandon Gatson Pin
     Roderick Strong  05:28 [17]  
 Johnny Goodtime Sub  
 Roderick Strong  16:56 [16]  
     Roderick Strong Pin
 
     Human Tornado  09:41 [17]  
 Matt Jackson Pin
 Human Tornado  14:14 [16]  
Non-tournament matches
Night One
Night Two

2010 Battle of Los Angeles

The sixth annual BOLA was held on September 4 and 5, 2010, in Reseda, California. The tournament included 18 participants, up from previous two years.[22][23]

  First round Second round Semifinals Finals
                                     
 Claudio Castagnoli Sub  
 Ricochet [22]  
     Claudio Castagnoli Pin  
 
     Roderick Strong [23]  
 Paul London Pin
 Roderick Strong [22]  
     Claudio Castagnoli Pin  
     Joey Ryan [23]  
 Austin Aries Pin  
 Rocky Romero [22]  
     Austin Aries Pin
 
     Joey Ryan [23]  
 Joey Ryan Pin
 Chuck Taylor [22]  
     Joey Ryan Pin
     Chris Hero [23]
 Brandon Bonham Pin  
 Brian Cage [22]  
     Brandon Bonham Pin
 
     Brandon Gatson [23]  
 Brandon Gatson Pin
 Ryan Taylor [22]  
     Brandon Gatson Sub
     Chris Hero [23]  
 El Generico Pin  
 Akira Tozawa [22]  
     Akira Tozawa Pin
 
     Chris Hero [23]  
 Christopher Daniels Sub
 Chris Hero [22]  
  First round
 Matt Jackson Double DQ
 Nick Jackson [22]
Non-tournament matches
Night One
Night Two

2011 Battle of Los Angeles

The seventh annual BOLA took place on August 20, 2011, in Reseda, California. For the first time, the entire tournament was held over one night with only eight participants.[24]

  Quarterfinals Semifinals Finals
                           
   Chris Hero Pin  
 Willie Mack [25]  
   Willie Mack Pin  
   El Generico [25]  
 Claudio Castagnoli Pin
   El Generico [25]  
     El Generico Pin
   Kevin Steen [25]
   Eddie Edwards Pin  
 Roderick Strong [25]  
   Eddie Edwards Sub
   Kevin Steen [25]  
 Dave Finlay Sub
   Kevin Steen [25]  
Non-tournament matches

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "2005 Battle of Los Angeles - Night One". Pro Wrestling Guerrilla. http://www.prowrestlingguerrilla.com/results/2005/show0033.html. Retrieved 2009-10-01. 
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "2005 Battle of Los Angeles - Night Two". Pro Wrestling Guerrilla. http://www.prowrestlingguerrilla.com/results/2005/show0034.html. Retrieved 2009-10-01. 
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h "2006 Battle of Los Angeles - Night One". Pro Wrestling Guerrilla. http://www.prowrestlingguerrilla.com/results/2006/show0055.html. Retrieved 2009-10-01. 
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i "2006 Battle of Los Angeles - Night Two". Pro Wrestling Guerrilla. http://www.prowrestlingguerrilla.com/results/2006/show0056.html. Retrieved 2009-10-01. 
  5. ^ "2006 Battle of Los Angeles - Night Three". Pro Wrestling Guerrilla. http://www.prowrestlingguerrilla.com/results/2006/show0057.html. Retrieved 2009-10-01. 
  6. ^ a b "2006 Battle of Los Angeles (Updated 8/16)". Pro Wrestling Guerrilla. http://www.prowrestlingguerrilla.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=426&sid=b0ab456cc2c8be05b6a3245951881674. Retrieved 2009-10-02. 
  7. ^ Clevett, Jason (2006-09-14). "Danielson epitomizes ROH's evolution". Slam! Sports. Canadian Online Explorer. http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Wrestling/2006/09/14/1839588.html. Retrieved 2010-10-12. 
  8. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l "The Furious Flashbacks – PWG Battle of Los Angeles 2006". 411Mania. http://www.411mania.com/wrestling/video_reviews/94039. Retrieved 2009-10-02. 
  9. ^ a b c d e f g h i "2007 Battle of Los Angeles - Night One". Pro Wrestling Guerrilla. http://www.prowrestlingguerrilla.com/results/2007/show0074.html. Retrieved 2009-10-01. 
  10. ^ a b c d e f g h "2007 Battle of Los Angeles - Night Two". Pro Wrestling Guerrilla. http://www.prowrestlingguerrilla.com/results/2007/show0075.html. Retrieved 2009-10-01. 
  11. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m "2007 Battle of Los Angeles - Night Three". Pro Wrestling Guerrilla. http://www.prowrestlingguerrilla.com/results/2007/show0076.html. Retrieved 2009-10-01. 
  12. ^ "2007 Battle of Los Angeles Information (08/29 #2)". Pro Wrestling Guerrilla. http://www.prowrestlingguerrilla.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=1670&start=0. Retrieved 2009-10-02. 
  13. ^ "Giant-Size Annual #4". Pro Wrestling Guerrilla. http://www.prowrestlingguerrilla.com/results/2007/show0073.html. Retrieved 2009-10-02. 
  14. ^ a b c d e f g h i "2008 Battle of Los Angeles - Stage One". Pro Wrestling Guerrilla. http://www.prowrestlingguerrilla.com/results/2008/show0095.html. Retrieved 2009-10-01. 
  15. ^ a b c d e f g h i "2008 Battle of Los Angeles - Stage Two". Pro Wrestling Guerrilla. http://www.prowrestlingguerrilla.com/results/2008/show0096.html. Retrieved 2009-10-01. 
  16. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "2009 Battle of Los Angeles - Night One". Pro Wrestling Guerrilla. http://www.prowrestlingguerrilla.com/results/2009/show0107.html. Retrieved 2009-11-23. 
  17. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "2009 Battle of Los Angeles - Night Two". Pro Wrestling Guerrilla. http://www.prowrestlingguerrilla.com/results/2009/show0108.html. Retrieved 2009-11-23. 
  18. ^ "Bryan Danielson Wins PWG Title In Last PWG Appearance". 411Mania. http://www.411mania.com/wrestling/news/115422/Bryan-Danielson-Wins-PWG-Title-In-Last-PWG-Appearance.htm. Retrieved 2009-10-02. 
  19. ^ "2009 Battle of Los Angeles". Pro Wrestling Guerrilla. http://www.prowrestlingguerrilla.com/2009BOLA/. Retrieved 2009-10-01. 
  20. ^ "Against The Grain". Pro Wrestling Guerrilla. http://www.prowrestlingguerrilla.com/results/2009/show0106.html. Retrieved 2009-10-11. 
  21. ^ "2009 Battle of Los Angeles - Nov 20 & 21! Update". Pro Wrestling Guerrilla. http://www.prowrestlingguerrilla.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=3140&start=344. Retrieved 2009-11-20. 
  22. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "2010 Battle of Los Angeles - Night One". Pro Wrestling Guerrilla. http://www.prowrestlingguerrilla.com/results/2010/show0115.html. Retrieved 2010-09-06. 
  23. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "2010 Battle of Los Angeles - Night Two". Pro Wrestling Guerrilla. http://www.prowrestlingguerrilla.com/results/2010/show0116.html. Retrieved 2010-09-06. 
  24. ^ Caldwell, James (2011-07-30). "PWG News: Annual Battle of Los Angeles tournament announced - Finlay, PWG champ, recent ROH champs in first round match". Pro Wrestling Torch. http://pwtorch.com/artman2/publish/Other_News_4/article_51775.shtml. Retrieved 2011-07-30. 
  25. ^ a b c d e f g h i "2011 Battle of Los Angeles". Pro Wrestling Guerrilla. http://www.prowrestlingguerrilla.com/results/2011/show0125.html. Retrieved 2011-08-21. 

External links