From Jeff Richards: Weaver Cup Wraps Up with Weaver, Kernodle GIBSONVILLE (NC) -- The culmination of a summer-long tourney des...
From Jeff Richards:
Weaver Cup Wraps Up with Weaver, Kernodle
GIBSONVILLE (NC) -- The culmination of a summer-long tourney designed to cross-section the calendar year topped off with a pair of pushes. CW Mid-Atlantic carefully designs and bookends its big shows around lengthy chases, plot turns and glory.
On the tail end of this summer's tournament were former Mid-Atlantic Champion Roy Wilkins and new babyface Chet Sterling. The two were engaged in what is annually called the Johnny Weaver Memorial Cup Tournament, created to enhance CWF talent. Stars are born, and pushes are often re-generated. Such is the case with Wilkins, this year's winner, who is worthy of a renewal.
Sterling also has been humanized with a gut-wrenching win over new champion Marcellus King and losing the final. They say while the cat's away the mice will play. With big guns such as Trevor Lee and Andrew Everett crisscrossing the country, CWF continues to replenish its talent roster. The fans actually went gaga over underdog Sterling and also the handsome Jesse Adler as a semi-finalist.
Attendance was right at 105, not a sell-out but considering it was the 3rd show this month, right in line. These fans @ the Sportatorium know each other, sort of bond with each other like you would at a funeral or church service. They love their heroes, whether the participants are wet behind the ears or have cauliflowered ears.
Going forward, booker Brad Stutts has generated interest in the bigger picture: fall brawling until BattleCade in December. Let's see how this road commences....
(2) Another Weaver Cup semi-final match saw TV champion/Tag Title co-holder Sterling upset CWF Mid-Atlantic Heavyweight Champ King in 12:59. King, "The Army of One," won his belt seven days prior (8/22) by taking out Brad Attitude, who was not present. Representing the Aftermath, Sterling shares the CWF Mid-Atlantic tag belts w/ Trevor Lee. The bout had a 30 minute time limit. Sterling attacked his opponent before the bell. King caught Sterling and delivered three backbreakers before dumping him. Sterling's plancha off the top to the floor beneath rattled King. The heavyweight king posted his foe before re-entering the squared circle. Back in, King executed a German suplex, depositing Sterling like a bag of flour. This is where the sixe mismatch/beatdown really came into play. It is exactly why Razor Ramon-1-2-3 Kid was not a four-star spectacle. Following a running lariat, King misted the crowd with saliva. Sterling was selling like the stockbrokers on Wall Street last week. King even did the Mutalock to attempt a submission out of Sterling. An "Alabama Slam" shook Sterling up, but the TV titleholder pushed referee Redd Jones when he was asked if that was enough. Another innovative move of King's was an Argentine backbreaker into a GTS, but Sterling muscled out. Sterling got a little slippery by 8 p.m., and his comebacks suffered accordingly. He also could have taken it down one gear and still been spot-on. King set up a standing superplex, but Sterling fought it off bravely. Two Elgin buckle bombs by King were back-breaking in their own right. On King's third attempt, Sterling small-packaged his powerful aggressor and managed a flash pin. King left him laying afterward. This was a good non-title victory to set Sterling up for a title shot possibly in September. The main event was set for later: Wilkins v. Sterling. Rating: just 1 star
(3) In old-school tag match action, "Boogie Woogie Man" Rob McBride & "Iceman" Joe Storm defeated Thunderfoot #3 & The Dark Secret in 10:39. McBride, a 32-year vet, and I both got our starts courtesy of Foster Hughes. Patrick Perdue refereed. This was mostly comedy, even when it was NOT supposed to be funny. Storm fell backwards trying to slam the Secret. Perdue had more success, even attempting a cover, but Storm is no referee either. A George South trainee, T-foot III chats/talks too much in the ring for a masked wrestler. Maybe he watched George too closely. Thunderfoot tapped his boot (loading it up), but McBride caught it. "Boogie" wrapped up 3 in a sleeper. Storm tried to ward off Darker Secret but whiplashed himself in the ropes. Post-match: Stutts thanked McBride & Storm for putting him in the business. Rating: negative 1 star
(4) Arik Royal & Ray Kandrack united to down "The Riot"'s Nick Richards, Lee Valiant & Aric Andrews in a mere 3:14. The Riot entered from a side door and appeared to be on the same page. This started as an all over the building brawl. Valiant though ran and hid a lot. When the going got tough, Richards was deserted and left in the ring to rot by his "partners." After a Kandrack reverse "Death Valley Driver," Richards was pinned. Then his former friends & allies returned to verbally beat him down! Jason Miller, Richards' former tag partner, returned from a neck injury to slide in for the emotional rescue. There was a stare-down between Miller and the towering Andrews, until a pair of brass knuckles materialized. The Miller-Richards team has been reunited and turned face all in one night. An 18:00 intermission ensued.
(5) Royal & Kandrack came out again to put away Ethan Alexander Sharpe & previously unbeaten Prakash Sabar in 6:51. Sharpe & Sabar were out first, announcing that Sabar's original opponent, Xsiris, was a "coward." Even though no ref was present yet, Sharpe declared Sabar the winner by forfeit. Ironically, Sabar at 3-0 was at the time CWF's only undefeated superstar. That would not last long. Out came Royal & Kandrack, working twice. Charles Richardson, longtime CWF official, officiated. Royal talked junk until Sharpe tagged himself out. Sabar is a green masked luchador with long stringy hair and a Ghostface tongue/chin. He is very quick though and could have excellent matches down the road with Everett, Lee, etc. The faces scrambled his brain though with a double pickup & slam. The Dupps did that move to me one night in Wentworth, NC. A football tackle by Royal, and Sabar's unbeaten streak was over. The team of Kandrack & Royal are a definite threat to the CWF Mid-Atlantic Tag Team titleholders. Rating: 3/4 of a star
(6) In the Weaver Cup finals, Wilkins had serious help in emerging as this year's winner (over Sterling) in 17:10. Prior to the championship round, Don Kernodle was interviewed by Stutts. He gave back history on Weaver's legacy. "Johnny Weaver was a hell of a wrestler," Kernodle began. Kernodle faced Weaver early in his career and later tagged with him. Kernodle idolized Weaver as "one of the greatest wrestlers ever" and "a great, great man." Justice was again selected to referee. Wilkins was introduced as a three-time tag champion, former RGL champ, ex-TV titleholder, former heavyweight champion, and the 2012 CWF Rumble winner. In his own right, Sterling also served as a RGL champ and of course carries current gold with him. Wilkins' entourage again was present. Kazi appreciated the fans' "bald-headed geek" chant directed at Wilkins. For some odd reason, Chappie decided to attack Sterling and found himself falling through the ropes. There truly is not much room in front of the main viewing section to set up elaborate spots. Both these guys are very good athletes, but something was missing. It could have been, story-wise, Sterling should have come out banged up instead of fresh as a daisy. Wilkins applied a figure-four leglock, but Sterling reversed it. Kazi was pulling the rope away from Wilkins' needing to use it. A small-package did not work this time for Sterling. Wilkins tried to set for a sharpshooter, but Sterling was too close to the ropes. Sterling bore the pain of the "stretch" and powered out. A "Liger Bomb" almost garnered a three count for Sterling, but Wilkins still had some left in the tank. At 9:20 p.m., Justice took a bump. Gemini ordered Kazi to the top rope, but the "Kid" frogsplashed Wilkins instead of whom Coach wanted. Kazi, not even wrestling on this night, received the biggest pop. He also laid out Chappie in the ring. Everyone thought this would give Sterling new life, but a big punch by Wilkins proved otherwise. Meanwhile, Gemini grabbed Justice's Foot Locker shirt and started doing some fast counting of his own. Sterling always kicked out in time, even after receiving a devastating Shining Wizard. Redd Jones finally got rid of Gemini to another huge pop. Wilkins located Chappie's brass knucks and punched Sterling's lights out. Jones reluctantly made the three count, and Wilkins was the winner. Rating: 2 1/4 stars
Post-match: the 65-year old Kernodle made the trophy-awarding presentation though he witnessed the cheating infraction. "If Johnny Weaver were here, he'd put you to sleep all night long," Kernodle remarked. The former NWA World Tag Team Champion admitted it was "the most underhanded tournament win" he had seen yet. Many fans wanted Kernodle to use the trophy to bash Wilkins, but he had stolen enough of the winner's heat.
NOTES: Sterling arrives on the entrance ramp in a get-up similar to Dexter Poindexter or Seymour Snott. He is light heavyweight material, was great as a heel, and will be an adequate fan favorite until someone else returns or can be elevated....Thin ice to have King job in his first appearance as heavyweight champion; however, the booking made sense and set up challengers. Wilkins now holds a win over TV Champ Sterling and can also demand a heavyweight title shot, maybe at BattleCade. Sterling pinned the new champ King as well....CWF Mid-Atlantic returns to the Sportatorium on 9/12 with a PWI event. Ethan Case defends the Ultra J-Crown Championship, and Zane Dawson will be challenged for the International Heavyweight Title. CWF Mid-Atlantic will feature a doubleheader day of action with a 3 p.m. show in Carrboro, NC and a 7:30 p.m. event in Gibsonville. Log onto CWF247.com for details.
