From Larry Goodman: Atlanta Wrestling Entertainment invaded the Cross Keys High School Gym for “Double Dip the Chip”, the company’...
From Larry Goodman:
Atlanta Wrestling Entertainment invaded the Cross Keys High School Gym for “Double Dip the Chip”, the company’s first Saturday night show in many moons.
This was a scaled-down, family-friendly version of the AWE product with just five matches and a running time under two hours. The event was a benefit show with all proceeds going to the Cross Keys High School PTA.
AWE’s major show for the weekend takes place this afternoon just a few miles down the road from Cross Keys at Famous Pub.
Attendance was 100. The crowd was mostly families from the local area and about 15 AWE fanatics. Only a handful of high school students were in the mix despite Adrian Armour cutting an excellent promo on the school principal in front of the entire student body the week before the show. If that isn’t a statement about how cold pro wrestling is with the average teenager, I don’t know what is.
Crowd reactions were muted as the majority of those in attendance were unfamiliar with the performers. The fans did get into Cedric Alexander recognizing they were in the presence of greatness.
Josh Wheeler was back as emcee after being ousted from the role by Commissioner Stan Robinson at the last show. The new ring announcer Rico Delgado was not able to be there.
(1) Sound & Fury (William Huckaby & Joe Black) defeated Coldhard Security (Rick Ryan & Paul Coldhard) and The Power (Ian Payne & Big Time Ya) in 12:40. Coldhard shushed the crowd and delivered the most pussified chop in wrestling history. Huckaby's offense after taking hot tag was the best thing about the match. As the house cleaning was in process, Coldhard Security bailed on the match. The finish was sadistic. Huckaby put Payne in a surfboard to make him a stationary target for Black’s superkick to the mush. An uninspired match that did nothing to liven up a crowd that was badly needed livening.
Wheeler announced Sound and Fury would be in a gauntlet match at Famous Pub today to determined number 1 contender for the tag titles.
(2) Shane Sabre defeated Luscious Laron in 6:12. Sabre came in from Canada with Ethan Page and company. Laron hung Sabre out to dry on a dropkick that never had a prayer. Laron abused him. Sabre made an OK looking comeback. Laron’s tormentor Mathias Darkthorne came to ringside. Laron rolled Sabre up with his feet on the ropes but Darkthorne shoved them off. Laron stood transfixed by Darkthorne’s presence until Sabre speared him. Match did not disturb the crowd’s slumber.
(3) Ethan Page & Space Monkey & Kobe Durst defeated The Hierarchy (Murder One & Chip Day & Adrian Armour) in 15:26. Billed as AWE vs. Alpha-1 Wrestling. Wheeler introduced Day with six different monikers finishing with Chip “PG” Day and said Space Monkey was Buzz Aldren’s favorite wrestlers. Mr. Hughes and Dave Wills walked in as the match was in progress, having left the Dublin Debacle. Match was mostly whimsical comedy centered around Space Monkey, who sat in the bleachers to eat a banana and slapped Armour with the peel. Hierarchy worked over Monkey’s fake tail. Durst made a positive impression when they finally got down to brass tacks. A train of big moves segued to Page and Armour trading blows. Page then pinned Armour with the Spinning Dwayne. A good match that woke the crowd up to some extent -- entertaining with some cool moves down the stretch.
Wheeler announced that Commissioner Stan Robinson had fined referee “Grandpa Booker T” Darryl Howe $250 for blowing a call.
Murder One threatened bodily harm to Cross Keys principal James Heard at the hands of Armour. Heard didn’t appear to be taking this seriously.
Ashton Starr set up the ROAR match, stating that he was the king among queens in the women’s division and the scraps of the winner would be left for him.
(4) ROAR match: Kimber Lee defeated Priscilla Kelly in 8:15. A hard-fought match that showed how far Kelly has come with her offense. Lee was all business letting her have it with stiff shots and Kelly wasn’t backing down. Kelly busted out a tope, a nifty series of kicks and a half nelson suplex. Lee hit a wheelbarrow suplex. Kelly countered Lee’s powerbomb with a rana and a sunset flip for near falls but Lee managed to roll her up. Good match with the crowd showing respect for the work ethic of these women.
Postmatch – Starr shook Lee’s hand and ate a spinkick when he tried to double cross her.
(5) Jimmy Rave (with Iceberg) defeated Cedric Alexander to retain the Georgia Wrestling Crown Championship in 16:30. The fine match you would expect -- crisp chain wrestling with both men hitting signature moves and one last chance to see Alexander’s world class technique on a Georgia indy show. Iceberg got on the apron to distract referee Howe so Rave could go for a belt shot. Howe inadvertently got clocked with the belt. Alexander connected with a tornado kick and scored a visual fall on the champion. Berg pulled Alexander out, popped him a good one and rolled him back inside. Referee “Butterbean” Ryan Harmon hit the ring to make count. Alexander kicked out garnering a “Cedric” chant. Rave went for another belt shot and had to put on the brake to avoid a collision with Berg. Alexander hit the Lumbar Check on Rave and torpedoed Berg with a tope to prevent further interference. Once back inside, Rave caught Alexander with the smallest package in pro wrestling.
Postmatch – Led by Murder One, the Hierachy gave serious props to Alexander. Rave hugged Alexander and raised his hand. This was class and got a standing O from the crowd.
Alexander said he had known Murder, Rave and Day for almost his entire seven year career and wouldn’t be where he was without them. (Alexander had a run with Rampage Pro Wrestling in 2011 when Murder and Day were there and Rave was the booker).
