[Thread] PWG DDT4, Jan. 12 2013. El Generico was supposed to enter this tag team tournament, but he pulled out due to injury. Then, amid reports he was about to sign a major contract, he re-entered the tournament… with Kevin. It’s a one-day tournament, his last day in PWG.
Steen & Generico have 3 matches in this one day as they try to capture gold again. Really, though, it’s one match--a gauntlet match with breaks between the opponents. It’s the story of Kevin and Generico’s last matches together, as a tag team again despite all their bitter past.
Their first opponents are the Briscoe Brothers, their first Ring of Honor feud and the one that jump-started their career. Kevin refuses to look at Generico. Generico stares at him, not even responding when his name is announced.
There’s a brief squabble about who will start the match. The Reseda audience captures the mood perfectly, and Kevin almost cracks a smile as he steps forward to face his old rivals.
This match is a tale told in tags, those moments of connection where a tag team’s synergy (or lack of it) is made clear. Kevin and Generico have nine tags in this 11 minute match, and each of them furthers the story. The first tag is, of course, a blind tag, and openly hostile.
I’ve always loved El Generico’s totally flummoxed reaction to @SussexCoChicken here. What a beautiful startled flop.
Tag 2 is still a blind tag, still unfriendly, and Kevin’s distraction ends up costing Generico.

(Kevin shoves Generico out of the ring with his foot after this bit of offense, so don't assume he's particularly coming to his rescue or anything).
Tag 3 is… not exactly blind, but still not a full-on hand-to-hand tag. There’s some grudging acknowledgement there, though.
Generico holds out his hand for Tag 4!

Only to get a brusque slap of a tag for his efforts.
But then, a crucial moment: Generico sees that Kevin’s in trouble, pushes him out of the way, and gets Jay in a toe drop hold. It’s the opening of one of their old tag team moves. Kevin always used to follow up with a somersault or a senton.
Generico stares up at him, utterly helpless. Kevin could kick him or spit on him or walk away.

Instead, after a long pause, he completes their old signature move together.
Something has shifted between Kevin and Generico, and their tags immediately reflect it. Tag 5 is an actual deliberate hand-to-hand tag. The audience cheers in delight. On the apron, even Mark seems astonished.
Tag 6 is another deliberate tag! This is something close to teamwork at this point.
After Tag 7, you can almost see them feeling their old chemistry clicking into place. You can tell they’re not exactly sure they’re happy about it, but there’s no denying it’s there. At least until Jay stops watching them and decides to start decking them.
The logical next step in this match would seem to be a hot tag, that high-energy moment in a tag match when a long-suffering wrestler finally makes it to their partner. But no--instead, we’re back to a blind tag for Tag 8.
The blind tag is followed by Generico getting shoved into Kevin, breaking his submission hold. There’s a feeling that things are starting to unravel. That moment of synergy seems somehow to be receding.
Tag 9 is another blind tag. It’s not even clear Kevin knows it was made. Which is going to lead to a crisis point for the fragile truce between the former friends.
As Kevin gets Jay into a choke hold, Generico decides to try and kick Jay in the face. The audience sees what’s coming--various voices yell “NO!” as Generico starts forward, but it’s too late.
The audience groans in panic and despair as Generico and Kevin suddenly remember that they hate and distrust each other. Did Generico really come to California to wrestle injured, only to lose in the first round, and lose like this?
But wait! At the last second, in the literal middle of the Briscoes’ finisher, Generico manages to roll Jay up for the win! Kevin storms off in a fury, but the audience is overjoyed--the story isn’t over yet. There’s still hope.
2013’s Dynamite Duumvirate Tag Team Title Tournament is available at http://Highspots.com ! The second act of Kevin and Generico’s finale is against Future Shock--Adam Cole and Kyle O’Reilly. Will Kevin and Generico finally make that hot tag?

https://www.highspotswrestlingnetwork.com/media/pwg%3A-ddt-2013/37096/feature
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