Photo Courtesy of Harold Jay Taylor From Larry Goodman: Two titles changed hands at the Peachstate Wrestling Alliance show Saturda...
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| Photo Courtesy of Harold Jay Taylor |
From Larry Goodman:
Two titles changed hands at the Peachstate Wrestling Alliance show Saturday night in Carrollton, GA.
Simon Sermon regained the big prize, the PWA Heritage Championship, while Jimmy Rave earned his first gold in PWA winning the Georgia Junior Championship.
Two title switches, both of them quality matches by the way, not a bad match on the card, and all PWA had to show for it was their worst crowd of the year: A paltry 130 in attendance at the VFW Fairgrounds. That’s about half of what PWA usually draws and the place felt dead compared to what I'm accustomed to.
It wasn’t for lack of trying. They ran a hot angle two weeks ago where turncoat Exotic One Tommy Too Much cut a cruel and heartless promo on former partner Simon Sermon, making light of the death of Sermon’s grandmother and claiming that Sermon’s cat died because he poisoned it. When fellow Exotic One Rick Michaels came out to defend Sermon’s honor, Too Much blasted him with a chair. Michaels bled all over the place like Tommy Rich back in the day, and the match was made for last night. That match and Sermon challenging for the title figured to be good for business. What happened?
I’m inclined to blame college football and the cold climate for pro wrestling in general for the lousy attendance. I'm curious to know how UIW and PCW drew for their shows.
Be that as it may, there are other factors to consider. The quality of the wrestling at PWA is better than it’s even been. An argument can be made that PWA fans need more and better stories to keep them satisfied. Have the various incarnations of the Exotic Ones feud have finally run their course as a big draw? Can they afford matches lacking storyline implications on a five match card? Time will tell, and we may get some indication on September 20 when PWA runs Golddust Park with Sermon vs. Too Much on top (The Fairgrounds is unavailable for their next two shows due to the circus)
(1)Bobby Moore defeated Stryknyn in 12:45. This was advertised as Moore & Shaun Tempers vs. Billy Buck & Ace Rockwell, an intriguing match that was one of the main things that got me to this show, so it sucked for me that it didn’t happen. That said, this was a fine match in its own right. The crowd took to Stryknyn in the babyface role. Stryk outsmarted Moore early on and punished him for his stupidity. Stryk messed up and found himself straddling the top rope where a big boot from Moore sent him to the floor. Moore gave Stryk a shot into the rail. In the process, he mouthed off at a female fan and made her little boy cry. Fast forward to the closing minutes…they swapped subs, Stryk with the Tourniquet and Moore using a crossface variant. Moore was in shock when Stryk kicked out of his Death Valley Driver, so he loaded up the elbow pad, Stryk speared him before he could use it, but Moore got a foot on the ropes. Stryk hit the FFD (his version of the F5) but Moore kicked out. When Stryk tried for the spear again, Moore moved and Stryk had to put on the brakes to avoid nailing the ref. Moore then nailed Stryk with a discus loaded elbow for the three count.
Postmatch, Rave came to ringside and had a word with Stryk, who got a nice round of applause for his efforts.
(2) Tommy Too Much defeated Rick Michaels (with Tristan Michaels) via DQ in 7:45. TTM entered the ring to big time heat. Rick paused on the stage and grabbed the mic. Since he was nearing the end of his career, Rick said he needed a little managerial help from someone, and that someone had never managed in the state of Georgia. Too Much was too busy trying to figure out what was up to see what was going on behind him. Referee Tristan Michaels ripped off his striped shirt revealing an “OC1” t-shirt underneath, then crumpled TTM with a low blow. Rick gave Tommy the beating the fans wanted to see. He kept tossing Tommy over the top rope, but went to the well once too often and ate a punch for his only bump of the match. Given his physical condition, he shouldn’t be taking any at all. TTM posted Rick’s shoulder and dug a chair into the small of his back. But Tommy made the big mistake, missing a diving headbutt off the top rope. Tristan tossed brass knucks to Rick and he shamelessly clocked TTM with them right in front of referee Jeremy Black. The finish worked for me. The story was purely about revenge. Winning mattered not.
Kyle Matthews addressed the crowd. Matthews said he had shoulder surgery in June and hoped to back in the ring before the end of the year, and upon his return, he would challenge the winner of the upcoming Georgia Junior Championship match.
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| Photo Courtesy of Harold Jay Taylor |
(3) Jimmy Rave defeated Ace Haven (with the extremely pregnant Amy Haven) via DQ to become the new Georgia Junior Heavyweight Championship at 19 minutes. Rave makes being a great heel look so easy. He used mind games on Ace early on and was being a complete dick about it. Haven stymied Rave with multiple arm drags. This was a tough spot for Ace as a babyface going against a technically superior heel. Rave ducked Ace’s flying bodypress and decked him with closed fist. Rave destroyed Ace with sick thudding chops, nasty clotheslines and high angle back suplexes. Ace was resilient and frustration was setting in for Rave, so he spit in Amy’s face. Ace spit in Rave’s face and launched a spirited comeback. Ace ducked a shadow clothesline and connected with his signature springboard kick, but Rave kicked out. Ace ate the turnbuckle charging in and Rave covered with feet on the ropes for extra leverage and Ace kicked out. Ace with a superkick for a near fall and Rave was in big trouble. Stryknyn came out and chased Amy to the back. Rave capitalized on the distraction by locking in the crossface. Ace got to the ropes, but Rave pulled him back to ring center and Ace tapped. Best match of the show thanks to a captivating performance by Rave, clearly the best wrestler on the card. It was great to see him back in top form.
Rave as Junior Champion instantly elevates the title and sets up a plethora of interesting title match possibilities. One can hope that Rave gets a good run with it.
Prince Akbar came to the ring with PWA Heritage Champion Romeo. Akbar told ring announcer JB Lementary that he was a disgrace to midgets everywhere. Akbar called out PWA Commissioner Shane Noles to address the 30 day defense rule. Akbar said Romeo defended his title two weeks ago and therefore his match tonight would be non-title. Romeo interrupted and said that in 15 months not one American had been able to beat him, and he was willing to put the title up. Akbar said that wasn’t in his best interest. Noles said enough with the drama, he needed a decision. Romeo said Akbar bought his contract, but didn’t buy the way he makes decisions as a man, so he was defending the title. Very interesting…
(4) NWA Georgia Heavyweight Champion “The Reflection of Perfection” Tyson Dean defeated “The Trademark” Trace Matthews in 9:04. I’m late to the party in appreciating Dean’s skills. The guy can wrestle. He had a good match here in July, but didn’t show much personality. This was a different Dean tonight. He was working the crowd, using facial expressions and getting heat. Dean also did the old school tactic of getting his arms tied up in the ropes so Trace could give him a shellacking. Trace is a beefy guy with massive thighs. He weighs in at 250, but is very green and hasn’t yet learned how to use express himself with his body and doesn’t deliver his blows with authority. He also did one thing that annoys the hell out of me, and that’s when the babyface yells “C’mon!” at the fans to get them to cheer for his moves – like the crowd is disappointing the wrestler when it’s really the other way around. The finish saw Dean reverse Trace’s full nelson with a swinging neckbreaker.
(5) Simon Sermon defeated Romeo (with Prince Akbar) to regain the PWA Heritage Championship in 16:40. They foreshadowed something was up because Akbar didn’t stay at ringside. No fun and games from Simon. He came to wrestle and wrestle he did – hammerlocks, armbars, side headlocks, waistlock takedowns. Romeo was worried. Sermon busted out the high impact moves. As they battled on the ropes, Romeo resorted to an eye rake and Sermon tumbled to the floor. An all-over-the-building brawl ensued. By all rights, it should have been a double count out, but referee Terry Hudgins let them go. Romeo is a better brawler than I would have given him credit for before seeing this match. Romeo took bumps into the corrugated metal wall, which made for some awesome sound effects. Back inside the ring, Romeo took control until Sermon turned a telegraphed backdrop into a DDT. Sermon with a big powerslam for a near fall and a trio of clotheslines to set up the Manchester Driver. Romeo slipped out of it and hit the snapmare driver, but Sermon grabbed the ropes. Romeo with the European forearm off the ropes ala Cesaro for a near fall. Romeo went back to the snapmare driver but Sermon was ready for it, countering with a neckbreaker and killing Romeo dead with a devastating Manchester Driver. No ga ga here. This was a hard fought title match. Props to both men.
Postmatch, Sermon said Too Much had been jealous of him since they formed the group and called him out. “You stabbed me in the back and I have something you punk ass wants.” Too Much came out with Akbar of all people.
Addressing him as “baby doll” and “butt buddy”, Sermon offered Too Much a title match on September 20. Akbar said TTM was his newest acquisition and Sermon had to talk to him. Sermon said he would do the match right now. Akbar said the match would take place on his time schedule and only after his demands were met. Akbar demanded an official that was not affiliated with PWA. Noles said fine, what else? Akbar said his other demands would be revealed at the contract signing in two weeks.
