Photo courtesy of Scene Nick From Larry Goodman: Bottom line, Shindig 4 was the best SFCW show in a long, long time, probably i...
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| Photo courtesy of Scene Nick |
Bottom line, Shindig 4 was the best SFCW show in a long, long time, probably in forever.
Owner Charles Anschutz packed out the Felker Gym with a crowd of 315 that was on fire all night long.
The new venue is a terrific set up for wrestling. It’s intimate and it’s LOUD.
Booker Todd Sexton put together a great card that had a little bit of everything and something for everyone, some nicely nuanced storytelling and not a bad match in the bunch. A little heavy on the multi-person matches but they had a lot of people to get on this show.
Odinson was crowned as the new SFCW Heavyweight Champion via a top notch four-way elimination in the main event. Odinson defeated champion Mikael Judas, former champion Tetchi Makuji and Phase One Champion Jimmy Rave, avenging his injury at Rave's hands in the process.
Corey Hollis defeated Austin Theory in the best technical match of the night.
Rave Approved retained the tag titles. However, it appears that all is not copacetic in the Approved camp.
The Shindig Rumble ended in controversial fashion leading to a major stipulation match at the next show.
Intergender champion Drew Blood and his mystery opponent brought the hilarity.
The show opened with the Hall of Fame inductions. This was very well done.
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| Photo Courtesy of Ken Wallace |
AJ Steele was inducted by Jagged Edge. Jagged’s induction speech was longer than any of the acceptance speeches (Nigel Sherrod’s induction speech for Rick Michaels was a close second). “The Southern Fried Superman” is still incredibly popular in Monroe. Jagged said Steele was trained by Jerry Oates and the only Afro American champion in the history of Oates’ GCW promotion. Steele said he loved wrestling but his kids came first. He thanked Anschutz for making SFCW happen and giving him the freedom to say whatever the hell he wanted to say to entertain the fans, then thanked the fans for supporting wrestling.
Leatherface was inducted by Terry Lawler. Leatherface was over huge with the crowd chanting his name. True to form, Leatherface never spoke. Lawler said thank you on his behalf.
Inaugural SFCW Champion Bodacious Blade was inducted by Steve Lawler. Blade thanked God, Anschutz, Terry Lawler and Steve Lawler in that order. He had his first match with Terry in 1990. Steve put him through the wringer as his trainer and Blade was glad that he did.
Sherrod did a fine job of detailing Rick Michaels’ career. Sherrod said that as a promoter/booker, Michaels was a pioneer in terms of equality in the backstage area. It was an emotional moment for Rick. His father and sister were there as was female wrestling great “Bambi” Selina Majors. Rick thanked Anschutz, his father (for introducing him to wrestling “or no telling where I would be”), his sister, Shane Noles and Bill Behrens (for teaching him that it’s not what you know but who you know). Most of all, Rick was thankful to Sherrod for saving his life and “being able to do this when I almost wasn’t able to a few years ago.”
Blood said class dismissed. “Out with the old, in with the Drew.” Blood was tired of Sexton jerking his chain and demanded to know the identity of his opponent. Sexton said the person planned didn’t show. Michaels didn’t cotton to Blood making fun of the HOF inductions and said he had one more ass kicking left in him. Blood said if he hurt Michaels it was Sexton’s fault.
(1) Logan Creed & AJ Steele & Sal Rinauro defeated Backbone (Drew Adler & Michael Stevens & Zac Edwards) in 10:56. This was really fun. Backbone started a slapfest with Sal that did not end well for them. Backbone bumped big for the good guys’ offense until Edwards interfered to set up heat on Rinauro, who was subjected to triple team abuse. Rinauro busted out a Koppu kick to make the hot tag to Logan. Logan planted Adler with a powerbomb and Besties had to save the pin. Creed fought off a Backbone triple team and tagged Steele. He hit the Steele City Bomb on Adler but didn’t get all of it and Adler kicked out. Backbone used to chicanery to regain the advantage. They triple-teamed Rinauro, then Creed, then Steele. All three Backbone members covered Steele but he still kicked out. Steele’s partners came to the rescue. This time, AJ got every bit of the Steele City Bomb on Adler. The amped up crowd loved this match.
Postmatch – Steele almost fell off the ropes during the celebration only to be saved by Sal. AJ asked me not to write that.
(2) Corey Hollis defeated Austin Theory in 11:06. These guys clicked. The match had a smooth flow without feeling choreographed. Hollis continues to grow as a performer. Theory is a wrestling prodigy no doubt. Hollis got the better of the early going. A rolling thunder dropkick sent Hollis out of the ring with Theory and his nasty attitude in hot pursuit. Back inside, Theory delivered an authoritative snap suplex for a near fall, then it was death by forearms for Hollis. The crowd got behind Hollis. They jockeyed for leverage on a suplex attempt and Hollis suplexed Theory into the turnbuckles. Theory came up selling his knee after hitting a falcon arrow style neckbreaker across his knee. Hollis immediately seized on the opening with a leglock submission. Theory made the ropes. Hollis tried to drag Theory back to ring center. Theory fought him off and hit a rolling thunder blockbuster for a near fall. The knee caused Theory to take too much time going to the top rope. Hollis superplexed Theory and pinned him with a double knee gutbuster. The crowd gave this match the appreciation it deserved.
Postmatch -- handshake offered by Hollis and accepted by Theory.
(3) Johnny Nixx & Brooklyn Creed defeated Dream Team (Pandora & Josh Storm) in 9:48. Mixed tag rules were strictly enforced by referee “Squeaky” Nathaniel Spivey. It started as a babyface match but didn’t end up as that. The wrestling was OK. They had a tough act to follow in that respect. Brooklyn has improved greatly in recent months and had the benefit of Pandora’s experience. Both women down and tags made after a flying faceplant by Brooklyn. Nixx hit a whatamaneuver off the ropes. Pandora made the save. The women went at it on the outside. Nixx hit a Codebreaker and went up top again. Pandora grabbed Nixx by the hair. Brooklyn dispatched with Pandora and teamed up with Nixx for a Hart Attack off the ropes on Storm. I liked how the mixed tag rules were used as the vehicle for Dream Team to gradually turn heel.
(4) Rave Approved (Bobby Moore & Adrian Hawkins with Jimmy Rave) defeated Washington Bullets (Jon & Trey Williams) to retain the SFCW Tag Team Championship in 17:29. Rave cut a promo in which he “accidentally” called Hawkins “Adriana” leading to a massive crowd response that drowned him out. Ring announcer Rick Richards reminded Rave that he was banned from ringside. The crowd went off again. Rave refused to leave until referee Triston Michaels threatened title forfeiture.
Approved jumped the bell. Trey took them to arm drag city and Jon’s missile dropkick cleared them out of the ring. Approved had no answers for the Bullets’ offense until Moore violently cut off Jon’s tope. Approved kept Jon out of the ring on their side for as long as they could but he was not to be denied the tag. Trey hit a leaping leg lariat on Moore for a count of 2.9, prompting a “that was three” chant. Hawkins dragged Moore to their corner so he could tag in. Trey almost pinned Hawkins with an inside cradle. As the ref was taking one of the belts away from Moore, Hawkins tried to hit Trey with the other belt. Trey superkicked the belt into Hawkins’ face for a killer false finish. Moments later, Hawkins hurled Moore into Trey, knocking his partner out. Hawkins then pinned Trey with a codebreaker. They really pulled the rug out on the crowd. The false finishes had them believing a title change was at hand.
Afterward, Hawkins basked in the “you suck” chant, showing little concern for his partner who was still out cold on the ring apron. Rave came out to tend to Moore and he was carried out.
Brock introduced his “true Hall of Famer”. Blood took a premature victory lap through the crowd wearing his intergender crown.
(5) Rick Michaels defeated Drew Blood (with Joseph Brock III) in 7 minutes. Drew took his sweet time, getting loose as a goose before the entering the ring. Hysterically funny covfefe ensued. Blood is laugh out loud funny. Rick wasn’t the first or second idea for the spot but he turned out to be the perfect opponent to bring out the best Blood. Fans chanted “you still got it” for Rick’s flurry of offense. Referee Triston Michaels got bumped. Blood gave Rick a low blow. Brock tried to shove a chair in but Sexton took it away. Rick gave Blood a low blow and hit the Double Shot for the 1-2-3.
Rick took a victory lap wearing Blood’s crown. Blood demanded to be on the rumble. Sexton said no problem. He enjoyed seeing Blood get beat up.
(6) Brian Kane won the 19 man Shindig Showdown Rumble to take possession of the Phase One Cup in 28:43. Match was announced as a 21 man rumble but who’s counting? Combatants included Ken Lee (with a bizarre new look) Gladiator Jeremiah, Sherrod, Terry Lawler, Jacob Ashworth, Leatherface, Stryknyn, Maverick, CB Suave, Dylan Cook, Justin Legend, Shane Noles, Jagged Edge, Blood, Buddy Burke, Dogs of War (O’Shay and Hawk) and Geter. It was pretty ugly in the early going and the only point where the show lost momentum. Two memorable spots got things back on track. Leatherface entered with the chainsaw and everyone bailed. Stryknyn entered next spewing a fireball at Leatherface. They squared off - Stryk with the lit torch, Leatherface with the chainsaw before making the sane decision to put their weapons down. Crowd went nuts when Geter entered. He was throwing guys out right and left, then double choke slammed Stryk and Jagged and Dogs of War. All four guys attacked Geter and worked together to successfully get him over the top rope. Dogs of War squared off against Stryk and Jagged, who caused the Dogs to collide midring and dumped them out. That left tag partners Jagged and Stryk as the last two. Jagged backdropped a charging Stryknyn over the top rope for the apparent victory. Stryk and Jagged shook hands. The crowd was on cloud 9. Kane came from under the ring to give the unsuspecting Jagged the heave ho.
Jagged wanted to know what Kane’s problem was. Kane lawyered up. Out came his “legal representation” in the form of Joseph Brock III. Brock said he had known Jagged for four years. All he ever did was step on Kane’s shoulders to get to the top and he never would have been SFCW Champion without JB3.
End result -- Jagged agreed to put his SFCW career on the line for a shot at Kane and the Phase One Trophy on June 24.
(7) Odinson defeated Tetchi Makuji (with Joseph Brock) and Mikael Judas and Jimmy Rave to become the SFCW Heavyweight Champion in 13:06. The battle between Judas and Makuji for bull of the woods bragging rights made me want to see them in another singles match. Judas was eliminated in just four minutes but it was no easy task and he made a violent statement on his way out. Makuji blinded Judas with the green mist, Odinson hit the Pounce, Rave hit the Shining Wizard and all three piled on for the pin. Judas was pissed. He left all three of them laying with choke slams, then choke slammed referee Spivey to oblivion. Triston Michaels took over the official. Makuji had things going his way until the always conniving Rave surprised him with a small package at 8:16. Rave escaped the F10, spit in Odinson’s face and hit the tried and true STO on the ring frame. The crowd chanted for Odinson, who barely managed to beat the 10 count. Rave superplexed Odinson. Hawkins came to ringside with the metal spike Rave used to injure Odinson’s eye back in January. Rave hesitated, then tossed the spike to Odinson and went for a small package. Odinson kicked out and put Rave in the torture rack. Hawkins tried to interfere. Odinson fought Hawkins off and Rave submitted. For story and action, this main event was tough to beat.
The title change got the biggest pop of the night. The hero side of the locker room came to the ring to celebrate with the new champion. The finish didn’t send the fans home happy. They were ecstatic. A champion couldn’t be much more over than Odinson was at the end of this show.
