From Larry Goodman: Anarchy Wrestling headed into the final stop before Hostile Environment 2014 with only one match announced for ...
From Larry Goodman:
Anarchy Wrestling headed into the final stop before Hostile Environment 2014 with only one match announced for the big show. They emerged from the go home show with a full card that makes sense despite the scrapping of one of the main events.
Anarchy Heavyweight Champion Billy Buck suffered an injury that forced him out his first title defense against Stryknyn. It had to a be disappointing blow to Buck, who has worked his way to the top at Anarchy over a period of many years.
For in ring action, last night's show was top notch. The stories were by in large told in the ring rather than on the mic, and the talent did a fine job of telling them. They're not doing any big screen vignettes at Anarchy these days, so the show has a decidedly traditional, old school feel.
On paper, Hostile Environment isn't one of Anarchy's better developed major shows. Peak levels in the key feuds seems to be a ways off. None of them are super heated. They didn't have a story to justify the traditional War Games match. But it wouldn't be big show in Cornelia without a violent gimmick match to headline the card, so Anarchy Rulz it will be. Two titles will be decided in three way matches. Buck may or may not defend depending on his physical condition. And the TV champion will face the winner of the Bill Behrens special otherwise known as the Mega Rumble.
That said, the build or lack there of may not have much effect on show quality or attendance. Anarchy's reputation for drama and great action at their big shows precedes it. My guess is that come July 26, there will be 200+ in the building on that basis alone.
Attendance last night was 105 and it was a hotter crowd than two weeks ago.
Behrens summoned Buck and Stryknyn to the ring for the announcement that Buck would not be able to wrestle due to a broken rib suffered the night before. Buck said it was killing him inside that he was unable to compete. Behrens said that under the circumstances, Buck would have to forfeit the title to Stryknyn. Stryk said as much as holding the Anarchy title had been his dream; he couldn’t take it that way. “No one in my life has ever handed me anything, and I’m not starting tonight.”
Miss Rachael entered the ring with BJ Hancock. Rachael said she knew Stryk wasn’t the brightest but she had underestimated his stupidity. She accused Behrens of handing out titles like candy and claimed Hancock was the man that deserved to be the number on contender. Behrens acknowledged Hancock's winning streak and decided to allow Buck two weeks to recover and to make his first title defense at Hostile Environment against the winner of a match between Stryk and Hancock.
(1)“The Violence Artist” Trevor Aeon defeated “The Undead Luchador” Superrnatural in 6:35. A decent babyface vs. babyface match although Aeon’s act doesn’t strike me as babyface material. The crowd didn’t know Aeon from Adam was more behind Supernatural. Pretty much a 50/50 split on the offense. Supernatural was laying in his blows the way he needs to at 140 pounds and this was the most believable his offense has been in an Anarchy ring. The finish saw Supernatural go for a flying crossbody, but Aeon rolled through and hit a hanging DDT.
Supernatural raised Aeon hand in a postmatch show of respect.
(2) Slim J & Ace Rockwell defeated Shaun Tempers & Iceberg (with Jeff G. Bailey) when Rockwell pinned Young Lion’s Champion Tempers at 12 minutes. Rockwell is now sporting a beard. J was on fire early. Neither Tempers or Iceberg could handle him. Rockwell entered with the fans chanting his name. His offense however was just bouncing off of Berg. Berg bit Ace’s forehead. Rockwell bit Berg’s nose. J and Ace took turns shoulder blocking Berg with everything they had until the big man went down face first. J took the heat. The sight of Iceberg torturing the much smaller J was a surefire sympathy generator. The crowd was hot for a comeback with Ace leading the cheers. J hit the flying reverse DDT on Tempers and the tag was made. Rockwell went to town on former partner Tempers. Iceberg interfered to break up a pin attempt and all four started going at it. Rockwell kicked out of Tempers’ powerslam and reversed the hangman’s neckbreaker with a backslide. A well-worked, heated match with a big pop for the finish.
Afterward, Tempers laid J and Rockwell out with hangman’s neckbreakers. That was followed by a pair of running splashes by Berg.
Behrens announced that Tempers would have to defend his title against J AND Rockwell at Hostile Environment, but the title could only change hands if Tempers was pinned or submitted. Rockwell and Slim appeared to be less than thrilled with this development. It's weird that the Young Lion's title is now being billed above the TV title and none of the wrestlers competing for it are young lions.
Buck replaced Jeremy Vain in the announcer’s booth as the special guest color commentator for the number one contender’s match.
(3) “The Modern Prophet” BJ Hancock (with Miss Rachael & Lars Manderson) defeated “The Lethal Dose” Stryknyn in 13:03 to earn a Heavyweight title shot at Hostile Environment. Best match of the night. All Stryknyn early. Hancock was in a world of hurt. They worked a nice transition struggle that led to Hancock snapping Stryk’s neck off the top rope. Hancock’s ruthless aggression came to the fore. After Stryk was rude dumped to the floor, Manderson sent him flying into the ring steps. Brodie Chase came out to take care of Manderson and beat his ass all the way out the side entrance. Hancock strapped Stryk to the tree of woe and to set up a diving forearm on his helpless opponent. Stryk flapjacked Hancock’s face onto the turnbuckle pad to spark a comeback. Stryk blocked Hancock’s deadly piledriver. Hancock’s frustration was visibly mounting when Stryk kicked out of a big time flying knee off the ropes. Stryk got the Tourniquet applied. Tremendous desperate struggle by Hancock before he was finally able to hook the ropes. Stryk coiled for the spear but Hancock bailed to the apron. Hancock went for the spear.and Stryk countered with the F5 (known as the FDD) but Hancock kicked out. Stryk called for the piledriver. Hancock blocked that but got DDTed by Styrk and both were down. As Stryk was coiling for another spear attempt, Rachael sneaked in a low blow. Hancock gave Stryk a sick jumping piledriver and it was over. The back and forth leading to the finish was outstanding, and the piledriver looked absolutely devastating.
Hancock had choice words for Buck on the way out. Big applause for Stryk’s effort.
(4) Todd Sexton & Bobby Moore defeated Jeremy Foster & Alex Avgerinos to retain the Anarchy Tag Team Championship in 12:10. The problems between Anarchy’s odd couple champions continued. Sexton started so Moore decided to get some nachos from the concession stand. Sexton took the nachos away, handed them to his wife, and patted Moore on the butt. Despite the bickering, the champions dominated the match. Moore tagged in and roughed Avgerinos up. Avgerinos has good size, but looks soft like he hasn’t fully grown into his body. Sexton was pure babyface this time. He refused to take part in Moore's underhanded tactics. More problems for the champion as Sexton accidentally dropped an elbow and a knee on Moore trying to make saves. Moore kicked Foster’s face off, but Sexton made a blind tag and covered for the pin, so Moore pulled Sexton off. In the end, Sexton used From Dusk till Dawn (tilt-a-whirl headscissors into a crossface) on Foster, who got a foot on the ropes. But Moore shoved Foster’s foot off the ropes and he was forced to tap out. Anarchy doesn’t have much in the way of comedy except for Sexton and Moore’s antics and they fill the void pretty well.
The shenanigans continued after the match. Sexton teased Moore unmercifully and threatening to leave with both belts. When the three way title match for Hostile Environment (Sexton & Moore vs. Washington Bullets vs. Urban Assault Squad) was re-announced, the crowd popped for UAS.
(5) Lars Manderson (with Miss Rachael & BJ Hancock) defeated Brodie Ray Chase (with Alex Avgerinos) in 3:03. Manderson is going with a Mohawk now. It’s a better look for him than the shaved head which looked a little goofy. Manderson jumped the bell and pounded away. Chase rallied and starting doing a number on Manderson’s leg. On the outside, Rachael baited Avgerinos so Hancock could nail him from behind. Chase got distracted by the extracurricular activity and Manderson leveled him with a boot to the face for the 1-2-3. I get why they want a veteran like Chase working a guy as green as Manderson and keeping it short helped.
Manderson limped to the back signaling that was the second time he got one over on Chase.
(6) CB Suave & Chip Day defeated Tommy Penirelli & Corey Hollis in 15:58. Suave was in full Macho Man mode and looks better than ever. Day was making his return to Anarchy after a very long absence. The match has surprisingly strong heat. The issues between Suave and Penirelli were well known to the Anarchy fans and they definitely wanted to see Penirelli kick Suave’s ass. Hollis and Day’s history was not common knowledge. Suffice to say Hollis and Day tore it up. Hollis wrestled like he had something to prove and was on a different level than the rest. Day was pissed that the fans had forgotten about him and took it out on Hollis. Day’s dancing was asinine as was Suave’s swivel hips elbow drop. Day went for the Northern Light Bomb but Hollis turned it into a backbreaker and tags were made. Referee Wes Grissom lost control of the match as Hollis and Day traded wicked shots. They went well past the five count and it was a mockery of the rules that the match wasn’t ruled a no contest. The finish saw Penirelli reverse Suave’s snapmare driver with an ankle lock. But Day smoked Penirelli with one of his deadly kicks and he was pinned by Suave.
Bret Wolverton announced three more matches for Hostile Environment - Suave defending the TV title against the winner of a Mega Rumble (with Penirelli one of the entrants hint, hint) and Hollis vs. Day. Given that Hollis vs. Day was being manufactured on the spot, those two did a hell of a job of getting the match over.
(7) Geter defeated Se7en (with Jeff G. Bailey) via DQ in in 3:40. They traded heavy blows with Se7en getting the better of it. When Geter came up empty on a corner splash, Bailey prodded Se7en to stay on his man. Se7en worked Geter over in the corner. Geter returned the favor and hit a massive belly to belly suplex. The action spilled outside where Iceberg clocked Geter with a backboard for the DQ.
Iceberg and Se7en continued to beat on Geter after the bell. Iceberg was preparing to carve Geter up with the potato peeler when Mikael Judas hit the ring with a baseball bat. A few well-placed swings cleared the Elite out of the ring. This had more heat than the segment two weeks ago but still not as much as some of the other matches.