CZW Best of the Best

Combat Zone Wrestling's Best of the Best is a professional wrestling tournament and supershow held in the CZW promotion. The annual Best of The Best was originally a junior heavyweight tournament, which in 2005 was repurposed as an all weight tournament.

The first four tournaments saw 12 men first compete in elimination style 3-way matches in the first round before then single elimination matches until a winner was determined. During the 2005 tournament, which was held on May 14, 2005, the winner was determined by all single elimination matches but the original tournament structure returned in 2006 but saw the last four men face off in one match to determine the winner.

List of winners

 * 2001 = The Winger
 * 2002 = Trent Acid
 * 2003 = B-Boy
 * 2004 = Sonjay Dutt
 * 2005 = Mike Quackenbush
 * 2006 = Ruckus
 * 2007 = Joker
 * 2008 = Sabian
 * 2009 = Egotistico Fantastico
 * 2011 = Adam Cole
 * 2012 = Sami Callihan
 * 2013 = Alex Colon
 * 2014 = Drake Younger

Best of the Best
CZW’s first Best of the Best tournament took place on May 19, 2001 at the Champs Soccer Arena in Sewell, NJ.
 * 1st Round match: Amazing Red and Winger eliminated Ric Blade to advance.
 * 1st Round match: Mark Briscoe and Jay Briscoe eliminated Nick Mondo to advance.
 * 1st Round match: Minoru Fujita and Nick Berk eliminated Jose Maximo to advance.
 * 1st Round match: Trent Acid and Ruckus† eliminated Joel Maximo to advance.
 * 2nd Round match: Winger defeated Amazing Red to advance.
 * 2nd Round match: Jay Briscoe defeated Mark Briscoe to advance.
 * 2nd Round match: Minoru Fujita defeated Nick Berk to advance.
 * 2nd Round match: Trent Acid defeated Juventud Guerrera to advance.
 * Semi-final match: Winger defeated Minoru Fujita to advance.
 * Semi-final match: Trent Acid defeated Jay Briscoe to advance.
 * Final match: Winger defeated Trent Acid to win the Best of the Best tournament.

†Ruckus was a stand in for Juventud Guerrera in round one, because he was late to arrive.

Best of the Best 2
CZW’s second Best of the Best tournament took place on June 8, 2002 at the “CZW Arena” (The Arena) in Philadelphia, PA.


 * 1st Round match: Trent Acid and M-Dogg 20 eliminated Gabriel to advance.
 * 1st Round match: Super Dragon and B-Boy eliminated Nick Berk to advance.
 * 1st Round match: Ruckus and Tony Mamaluke eliminated Maxx Fuery to advance.
 * 1st Round match: Jodie Fleisch and Jonny Storm eliminated Johnny Kashmere to advance.
 * 2nd Round match: Trent Acid defeated M-Dogg 20 to advance.
 * 2nd Round match: B-Boy defeated Super Dragon to advance.
 * 2nd Round match: Ruckus defeated Tony Mamaluke to advance.
 * 2nd Round match: Jodie Fleisch defeated Jonny Storm to advance.
 * Semi-final match: Trent Acid defeated B-Boy to advance.
 * Semi-final match: Jodie Fleisch defeated Ruckus to advance.
 * Final match: Trent Acid defeated Jodie Fleisch to win the second Best of the Best tournament.

Best of the Best 3
CZW’s third Best of the Best tournament took place on April 12, 2003 at the “CZW Arena” (The Arena) in Philadelphia, PA. Due the show starting late, all the matches had a strict 15 minute time limit.


 * 1st Round match: Ruckus and Sonjay Dutt eliminated Chri$ Ca$h to advance.
 * 1st Round match: Ric Blade and Trent Acid eliminated Tony Mamaluke to advance.
 * 1st Round match: B-Boy and Lil Cholo eliminated Deranged to advance.
 * 1st Round match: Jimmy Rave and Jay Briscoe eliminated A.J. Styles and Jason Cross to advance.
 * 2nd Round match: Sonjay Dutt defeated Mark Briscoe (subbing for Ruckus) to advance.
 * 2nd Round match: Trent Acid defeated Ric Blade to advance.
 * 2nd Round match: B-Boy defeated Lil Cholo to advance.
 * 2nd Round match: Jay Briscoe defeated Jimmy Rave to advance.
 * Semi-final match: Sonjay Dutt defeated Trent Acid to advance.
 * Semi-final match: B-Boy defeated Jay Briscoe to advance.
 * Final match: B-Boy defeated Sonjay Dutt to win CZW’s third Best of the Best tournament.

Best of the Best 4
CZW’s fourth Best of the Best tournament took place on July 10, 2004 at the “CZW Arena” (The Arena) in Philadelphia, PA.


 * 1st Round match: Homicide and Jack Evans eliminated Chri$ Ca$h to advance.
 * 1st Round match: B-Boy and Roderick Strong eliminated Jimmy Rave to advance.
 * 1st Round match: Alex Shelley and Bobby Quance eliminated Ruckus to advance.
 * 1st Round match: Petey Williams and Sonjay Dutt eliminated Nate Webb to advance.
 * 2nd Round match: Homicide defeated Jack Evans to advance.
 * 2nd Round match: Roderick Strong defeated B-Boy to advance.
 * 2nd Round match: Bobby Quance defeated Alex Shelley to advance.
 * 2nd Round match: Sonjay Dutt defeated Petey Williams to advance.
 * Semi-final match: Roderick Strong defeated Homicide to advance.
 * Semi-final match: Sonjay Dutt defeated Bobby Quance to advance.
 * Final match: Sonjay Dutt defeated Roderick Strong to win CZW’s fourth Best of the Best tournament.

Best of the Best 5
CZW’s fifth Best of the Best tournament took place on May 14, 2005 at the “CZW Arena” (The Arena) in Philadelphia, PA. This was the first Best of the Best tournament to allow heavyweight wrestlers to compete. Also, this Best of the Best tournament did not have the traditional 3-way elimination opening round match. Instead, the final match was a 4-way elimination match.


 * 1st Round match: Super Dragon defeated Chris Bosh to advance.
 * 1st Round match: El Generico defeated Excalibur to advance.
 * 1st Round match: Chris Hero defeated Brandon Thomaselli to advance.
 * 1st Round match: Kevin Steen defeated Kenny the Bastard to advance.
 * 1st Round match: Mike Quackenbush defeated Arik Cannon to advance.
 * 1st Round match: Claudio Castagnoli defeated Derek Frazier to advance.
 * 1st Round match: B-Boy defeated Sabian to advance.
 * 1st Round match: Ebessan defeated Nate Webb to advance.
 * Quarter-final match: Super Dragon defeated El Generico to advance.
 * Quarter-final match: Kevin Steen defeated Chris Hero to advance.
 * Quarter-final match: Mike Quackenbush defeated Claudio Castagnoli to advance.
 * Quarter-final match: B-Boy defeated Ebessan to advance.
 * Final match: Mike Quackenbush defeated B-Boy, Kevin Steen and Super Dragon, to win CZW’s fifth Best of the Best tournament.

Best of the Best 6
CZW’s sixth Best of the Best tournament took place on May 13, 2006 at the “CZW Arena” (The Arena) in Philadelphia, PA. This Best of the Best tournament saw the return of 3-way elimination match for the opening rounds, as well as keeping 4-way elimination match for the final match.


 * 1st Round match: Austin Aries and B-Boy eliminated Jigsaw to advance.
 * 1st Round match: Roderick Strong and Claudio Castagnoli eliminated Jay Lethal to advance.
 * 1st Round match: Sabian and Matt Sydal eliminated Sonjay Dutt to advance.
 * 1st Round match: Christopher Daniels and Ruckus eliminated Derek Frazier to advance
 * The CZW Championship, held by Ruckus, was on the line for the match. Daniels pinned Frazier, but said he didn’t want to win the title that way.
 * Quarter-final match: Austin Aries defeated B-Boy to advance.
 * Quarter-final match: Claudio Castagnoli defeated Roderick Strong to advance.
 * Quarter-final match: Sabian defeated Matt Sydal to advance.
 * Quarter-final match: Ruckus defeated Christopher Daniels to advance.
 * The CZW Championship was again put on the line.
 * Final match: Ruckus defeated Austin Aries, Claudio Castagnoli and Sabian to win CZW’s sixth Best of the Best tournament.
 * The CZW Championship was once again placed on the line. After retaining the title for the third time that night, Ruckus was challenged by, and lost the title to, Chris Hero.

Best of the Best 7
Best of the Best 7 took place on July 14, 2007 at the “CZW Arena” (The Arena) in Philadelphia, PA.


 * 1st Round match: Human Tornado defeated Ruckus
 * 1st Round match: Ricochet defeated Chuck Taylor
 * 1st Round match: B-Boy defeated Cheech
 * 1st Round match: Ricky Reyes defeated Sal Thomaselli
 * 1st Round match: Jigsaw defeated Grim Reefer
 * 1st Round match: Brandon Thomaselli defeated Vito Thomaselli
 * 1st Round match: Scotty Vortekz defeated Cloudy
 * 1st Round match: Joker defeated Drake Younger
 * Semi-final match: Joker defeated Ricky Reyes, Human Tornado, & Scotty Vortekz
 * Semi-final match: B-Boy defeated Ricochet, Jigsaw, & Brandon Thomaselli
 * Final match: Joker defeated B-Boy to win CZW’s seventh Best of the Best tournament.

Best of the Best 8
Best of the Best 8 took place on May 10, 2008 at the “CZW Arena” (The Arena) in Philadelphia, PA, and featured the first female competitor for a Best of the Best tournament in LuFisto.
 * 1st Round match: LuFisto defeated Josh Prohibition & Scotty Vortekz to advance.
 * 1st Round match: Drew Gulak defeated Pinkie Sanchez & Spyral BKNY to advance.
 * 1st Round match: Sabian defeated Drake Younger, Bruce Maxwell & TJ Cannon to advance.
 * 1st Round match: Chuck Taylor defeated Ricochet & Stupefied to advance.
 * Semi-final match: Chuck Taylor defeated LuFisto.
 * Semi-final match: Sabian defeated Drew Gulak.
 * Final match: Sabian defeated Chuck Taylor to win CZW’s eighth Best of the Best tournament.
 * Non-Tournament Match: Chuck Taylor defeated Sabian to win the CZW World Jr. Heavyweight Title.

Best of the Best 9
Best of the Best 9 took place on June 13, 2009 at the “CZW Arena” (The Arena) in Philadelphia, PA.
 * 1st Round:
 * 1) Ryan McBride def. B-Boy
 * 2) Carter Gray def. Scotty Vortekz
 * 3) Sami Callihan def. Greg Excellent
 * 4) Devon Moore def. Pinkie Sanchez
 * 5) Shiima Xion def. Sabian
 * 6) Egotistico Fantastico def. Drew Blood
 * Semi-Final Round:
 * 1) Sami Callihan def. Ryan McBride and Carter Gray
 * 2) Egotistico Fantastico def. Shiima Xion and Devon Moore
 * Final Round:
 * 1) Egotistico Fantastico def. Sami Callihan to win the Best Of The Best 9 tournament, the CZW Iron Man Championship, and to retain the CZW World Junior Heavyweight Championship.

Best of the Best X
Best of the Best X took place on April 9, 2011 at the “Asylum Arena” (The Arena) in Philadelphia, PA. In non-tournament action Danny Havoc def. Jun Kasai in a Ragnarok and Roll Glass Crush Death Match for the UVU Championship, and the Briscoe Brothers and Devon Moore def. Philly's Most Wanted and Robert Anthony with Jon Moxley allowing the Briscoes to retain the tag gold and making Devon Moore the new CZW Champion.

Participants:


 * Round 1
 * 1) Zack Sabre, Jr. def. Jonathon Gresham and Akuma w/ Kimber Lee
 * 2) Adam Cole w/ Mia Yim def. Johnny Gargano and Kyle O'Reilly
 * 3) Diasuke Sekimoto def. Chuck Taylor and Brandon Gatson
 * 4) Sami Callihan def. Jake Crist and AR Fox


 * Round 2
 * 1) Adam Cole w/ Mia Yim def. Zack Sabre' Jr.
 * 2) Sami Callihan def. Diasuke Sekimoto


 * Final Round
 * 1) Adam Cole w/ Mia Yim def. Sami Callihan

Best of the Best 11
Was held on April 14th, 2012 at the Flyer's Skate Zone in Voorhees, NJ. In non-tournament action Dave Crist defeated Jake Crist for the CZW Wired TV Championship, Matt Tremont defeated Clint Margera in an Ultraviolent Encounter, and Drew Gulak and Danny Havoc signed a contract for a No Ropes Barbwire match that happened May 12th, 2012.

Participants:


 * Round 1
 * 1) Sami Callihan def. Drake Younger, MK McKinnan & Trent 7
 * 2) Alex Colon def. Greg Excellent & Willie Mack
 * 3) Samuray del Sol def. Chuck Taylor & Johnny Gargano
 * 4) AR Fox def. ACH & Lince Dorado


 * Round 2
 * 1) Sami Callihan def. Alex Colon
 * 2) AR Fox def. Samuray del Sol


 * Final Round
 * 1) Sami Callihan def. AR Fox

Best of the Best XII
Took place April 13, 2013 at the Flyer's Skate Zone in Voorhees, NJ. Non-Tournament matches included: Adam Cole def. Sami Callihan, DJ Hyde def. Michael Dante & a Fans Bring the Weapons Match where Ron Matthis beat Rory Mondo.

Participants:


 * Round 1
 * 1) Alex Colon def. Shane Strickland & Rich Swann
 * 2) Jon Gresham def. Biff Busick & Caleb Konley
 * 3) Tommy End def. Shane Hollister & Alex Reynolds
 * 4) AR Fox def. Uhaa Nation & Andrew Everett


 * Round 2
 * 1) Alex Colon def. Jon Gresham
 * 2) AR Fox def. Tommy End


 * Final Round
 * 1) Alex Colon def. AR Fox

Best of the Best XIII
Took place April 12, 2014 at the Flyer's Skate Zone in Voorhees, NJ. Non-Tournament matches included: Shane Strickland defeating Devon Moore in a Ladder match for the CZW Wired TV Title and a number 1 contenders match for the CZW Tag Titles where The Juicy Product (David Starr & JT Dunn) defeated OI4K (Dave & Jake Crist)

Participants:


 * Round 1
 * 1) Chuck Taylor def. Buxx Belmar & Lucky 13
 * 2) Biff Busick def. Azerial & Caleb Konley
 * 3) Drake Younger def. Papadon & Timothy Thatcher
 * 4) AR Fox def. Andrew Everett & Mike Bailey


 * Round 2
 * 1) Biff Busick def. Chuck Taylor
 * 2) Drake Younger def. AR Fox


 * Finals
 * 1) Drake Younger def. Biff Busick