From Larry Goodman: It's not how you start. It's how you finish. --AJ Styles AJ Styles returned to his roots with an...
It's not how you start. It's how you finish.
--AJ Styles
AJ Styles returned to his roots with an unadvertised appearance at the Wildside Reunion in Cornelia. Styles' surprise appearance at the end of the show garnered what may or may not have been the loudest pop in the 19 year history of Landmark Arena.
Styles addressed the crowd, WWE United States title in hand, then spent the next 30 minutes circling the ring with fans swarming to the rail for photos and autographs. Styles could not have been more gracious or accommodating.
The Wildside Reunion was everything it should have been and more. The wrestling show and the fanfest that preceded it hit all the right notes. 40+ former stars reprised the characters, spots and catch phrase of the Wildside era.
The production values of this show were way beyond Wildside's reach. Cornelia has never had production staff like this.
The production values of this show were way beyond Wildside's reach. Cornelia has never had production staff like this.
It was an amazing night of nostalgia, poignant moments, hilarity and some damn fine wrestling, courtesy of Anarchy Wrestling and Mr. Wildside Bill Behrens. The show had all of the ingredients of the great Wildside shows except the blood and guts which would not have been apropos for the occasion.
Attendance was in the range of 250. That was not a sell out with the new seating configuration. Had Anarchy Wrestling been able to announce the Styles appearance in advance, the building never would have held the people. The crowd loved this show from beginning to end.
The show opened with a introductory video and dedication to deceased Wildside alumni head of security Rodeo and referee Speedy Nelson.
Ring announcer/emcee John Johnson introduced NCW owner Steve Martin as the founding father of wrestling at Landmark. Martin said he and Rick Michaels had a dream to bring the best wrestling they could find to their hometown. Their first NCW show at Landmark in 1998 was a sell out featuring Matt Hardy in the main event. Martin said Wildside (a collaboration with Behrens that debuted in August 21, 1999) never could have happened without a great staff.
Martin introduced the original Wildside TV cameramen Dewayne Burton and Joe Roland to a standing ovation.
Steven Prazak and Dan “The Dragon” Wilson were introduced as the announce team.
(1) Slim J defeated Kid Kool (Seth Delay) to retain the Wildside Junior Championship in 13:07. This was the perfect opening match. They came into Wildside as teenagers. Slim is now at the peak of his powers and Kool (Seth Delay) can still go. Mike Posey was the referee. Just like the good old days, Slim was brought to the ring in handcuffs with a sneer on his face and grabbed his junk. Kool took a suplex over the top rope to the floor. Slim slammed Kool on the ramp and went up top teasing a insane long distance dive, then clutched his back and climbed back down. They hit all their signature spots. Slim did his prettiest missed moonsault in the business. Kool hit the Flying Squirrel, the Kool Krusher and the Overnite Sensation. Slim hit the Screwdriver on the Rocks and the Flippytwista. Slim slipped away from Kool’s superplex and picked up the win with Anger Management, a wicked head drop from an electric chair position.
They shook hands and hugged after the match as the crowd showed their approval.
A series of video messages from Wildside alumni were shown on the big screen during the course of the evening.
The opening video featured members of the ROH roster that appeared for Wildside – Delirious, Christopher Daniels, Briscoe Brothers and Jay Lethal. Delirious spoke his gibberish. The only word I could make out was “Cornelia”. Daniels acted like he couldn’t remember the last name of that AJ guy. Sal Rinauro made a cameo wearing his G-Rated jersey and did his schtick about being the only two-time rookie of the year in Sports Entertainment history.
A Terry Taylor video was next. Taylor recalled wrestling Mike Rapada in Cornelia for the NWA North American Championship. Taylor said he was honored to have been a part of Wildside and that it would go down as something special.
Wildside TV Champion Jeremy Vain said how awesome it was to be the only five-time champion and to have a 12 year reign. His challenge to anyone from the Wildside graveyard was answered by Todd Sexton, who said he never got his rematch after losing to Vain via a fistful of tights. Billy Buck interrupted. Buck contended that he was held back on the Friday night Wildside shows and deserved a shot. Al Getz showed up with “The Feature Presentation” Jeff Lewis. You know the drill. Whatever Al wants, Al gets. Enter Mikael Judas. Said he wasn’t invited to the reunion but Mikal Adryan was. Adryan was busy in the hot tub so Judas was there to beat Vain’s ass.
(2) Jeremy Vain defeated Todd Sexton and Billy Buck and Jeff Lewis (with Al Getz) and Mikael Judas to retain the Wildside TV Championship in 7:20. Judas cleaned house post haste. Judas was about to chokeslam Vain straight to hell but Lewis clipped his knee. A Dusty Rhodes tribute ensued. Judas did a flip, flop and fly ala Adryan (the stripper character Judas did in Wildside). Everyone worked to keep Judas on ice. Getz clumsily fell into the ring trying to interfere and Adryan put him in the single leg crab. Getz was tapping like mad until an eye rake saved him. Then it was a chain of big moves with everyone hitting one of their signatures. Judas choke slammed Vain but Sexton broke up the pin. Buck and Sexton broke out a superkick party on Judas. Sexton superkicked Buck and wouldn't you know it? Vain schoolboyed Sexton using the tights. Match was laid out for maximum entertainment value and nicely executed.
Video message from Ed Ferrara who said Behrens invited him to come to Wildside to play after the demise of WCW. Ferrara said he had no idea what a special place Wildside was. The drive and dedication he experienced there blew him away. He thanked Wildside for accepting him with open arms. Ferrara said celebrate because Wildside deserved to be celebrated.
Luke Hawx entered to the Altar Boy Luke music and said it had been a long time since he heard that. Hawx thanked Wildside for giving him the opportunity to perfect his craft and build a brotherhoodship (if that’s a word). Hawx said the advertised match with Jimmy Rave wasn’t going to happen because he had a habit of running his mouth and wrestlers tended to back out of wrestling him. Hawx said Rave was in the same boat as Styles, who he claimed had backed out wrestling him seven times, so somebody else was going to have to take their ass whipping.
(3) Luke Hawx defeated Anthony Henry (with Amber Young) in 10:58. Henry is a hated heel in Anarchy so the heel/face dynamic was in play. Luke deposited Henry on the top turnbuckle and patted his cheek. Henry mocked Luke’s muscular physique with a double biceps pose. Luke outwrestled and overpowered Henry until Amber interfered. Henry went to work on Luke’s arm. Hawx popped the crowd with the Halo (moonsault launched while standing on the apron side of the middle rope). Henry came back with an STO and did the Rave Approved hand gesture. Luke caught Henry coming off the ropes and gave him four consecutive backbreakers. Amber interfered again. Henry inadvertenly decked Amber when Luke moved. Henry wen t for the top rope double stomp. It missed and Luke pinned him with a pop up powerslam. Good match that was well received by the fans. Luke’s power moves were really impressive. It was not Henry's night to shine and he played his role accordingly. Luke Hawx is a tons better wrestler than Altar Boy Luke ever was.
Video screen message from R Truth known as K Kwik in his Wildside days. Truth credited the video package Rick Michaels and Rick’s father put together for helping him get signed by WWE. He talked about how he and Styles used to tear it up at Wildside. I can vouch for that.
A congratulatory video from Zack Ryder played.
A special referee for the next match was announced. Spanky Emerson came out and was informed he was not that guy. Scottie Wrenn came out as the real special ref. The former Wildside Heavyweight Champion got a big pop. Al Getz returned with bad news and good news. The bad news was that his leg might be broken (inside baseball - Getz once broke his leg jumping off the ring apron). The good news was that he was going to sue everyone and when he won, he was reforming Getz Enterprises. Getz wanted Wrenn as his enforcer. Wrenn brought Getz to his knees with a vice grip handshake and Getz crawled up the ramp.
(4) New Jack won the Wildside Special Mega Rumble in around 13:30. Romeo Bliss came out in a suit and said he wasn’t there to roll around with sweaty men. The rolling around would come later and not with men. Bliss said he was under contract to CBS (he’s a former Survivor cast member) but was being renegotiating and he would soon be allowed to return to wrestle in Cornelia. Bliss hasn’t lost his touch on the mic. Match got underway with Mr. Delicious and Scotty Beach as the first competitors. They were joined by TJ Gray and Kid USA (Mike Posey). Nobody would shake USA’s hand and he was eliminated by Destiny in her cheerleader outfit. Mark E. Mark (Azrael) shoved Destiny off the top rope. She made a safe landing on the security people. Beach dumped Mark. Rusty Riddle looked in great shape and eliminated Gray and tumbled out with Beach. That left Delicious in the ring when his old nemesis White Trash arrived to give him the El Kabong with the stop sign. Trash eliminated Mr. D but Posey (as Posey) sneaked in and dumped him out. Posey went on about great and unappreciated he was until New Jack’s music hit. Posey bolted for the front door. Jack entered the ring unopposed with the crowd chanting his name. Match was entertaining for what it was with big pops for Trash and New Jack.
Jack said he actually had a good time with all the MFers at Wildside. Said he and Onyx had the same white woman in the parking lot. She drove Onyx crazy and he went to the looney toon farm. Jack said he had been wrestling 23 years (25 but who’s counting) and nothing about him had changed. He married himself a white woman and was living in North Carolina and was happy as s###.
Video from Father James Mitchell. He mentioned the infamous Wildside vignette during which a fire was lit on a tombstone in a nearby cemetery and another one that saw his crotch accidentally catch fire. Mitchell said Behrens was the only wrestling promoter than never lied to him.
Tony Mamaluke video. Mamaluke said he finally found his pizza and it was in Brooklyn the whole time. Eat your heart out Sal. Mamaluke gave himself credit for introducing Caprice Coleman to ring psychology and congratulated Coleman on his success in ROH. Mamaluke thanked Styles for shattering his nose so he can never have another good night’s sleep again. He also said Behrens was a promoter that he could actually trust.
Short videos from Amazing Red talking about his match with Slim J and another from Hotstuff Hernandez and Rudy Boy Gonzalez mentioning Iceberg.
(5) Team Elite (Adam Jacobs & Jason Cross with Jeff G. Bailey & Big Business Brown) defeated Caprice Coleman (with Sweet Dreams) & Lazz in 12:54. Wilson did the ring intros. Former Wildside senior official and video editor Andrew Thomas was the referee. The crowd went bonkers for Lazz’s entrance which is an elaborate dance number to Britney Spears “Oops…I Did It Again.” Lazz puts his heart and soul into it. Coleman was loving it. I dare say the gimmick was more over than it was in Wildside’s heyday. Lazz tormented Jacobs in Wildside and their segment here was tremendous. The gay wrestler vs. straight wrestler schtick is usually played out in about 30 seconds. This went on and built and had the crowd roaring. Elite finally got heat on Lazz. Cross hit a Michinoku Driver. He looked awfully good for a guy that hasn’t been in the ring for 9 years. Jacobs did the slice ‘n dice legdrop. Elite used the old Suicidal Tendencies foot tag. Coleman ran wild with the hot tag, using his trademarks – the spin scissors kick, the jumping Frankensteiner and the Trinity (triple rolling northern lights suplexes). Great stuff that got a “Caprice” chant. Coleman got spilled over the top onto Dreams. Lazz hit the Britney Spear on Cross, kissed Jacobs and speared him. Bailey said Jacobs wasn’t legal and Thomas refused to count. Lazz planted one on Thomas. Cross gave Lazz a brainbuster for the pin. Bell to bell fun. Lazz stole the show.
Bailey and the Elite took center stage. Big Biz got a chance to say how much he absolutely hated North Georgia. Some things never change. Bailey said had been the fans absolute pleasure to appreciate their greatness. “WE ARE YOUR GODS”. Bailey said turn out the lights, the party is over.
The lights went out. The Lost Boys music played. Azrael appeared on the ramp. Gabriel was lowered from the ceiling. Too bad it was a fake Gabriel and not Chad Parham. Crowd chanted Lost Boys anyway. Azrael and the fake left under the cover of darkness.
Bad Attitude (Rick Michaels & David Young) walked into the ring and laid out the Elite with their respective finishers. Michaels said they were the four-time NWA World Tag Team Champions and the best to ever come out of Wildside. “Attitude is everything and ours is bad.”
Iceberg and Tank came out to a standing ovation. Young said their attitude was bad but not that damn bad and they bailed. Tank said nobody wanted to fight the baddest men in the building so they were there just to say thank you.
Air Paris came to the ring. Paris said it felt like he stepped into a time machine but that didn’t make him stupid. He didn’t come to fight. Paris said it was weird to stand in the ring where he fought Styles and Jacobs. He said the reunion was just as much for them as it was for the fans.
Paris brought Behrens out to a huge standing O and chant of ‘thank you, Bill”. Paris then called out the other members of Suicidal Tendencies, Jacobs and Cross, to get the band back together one more time. (John Phoenix couldn’t be there due to hurricane). Bailey, Brown and Thomas came out to object. Tendencies decked all three of them.
Behrens said was only in existence for five years and almost 20 years later, people still remember it. Behrens thanked all the wrestlers that came through Wildside.
Behrens said he asked and begged to get the following video. Styles appeared on the video screen but there was no sound. Behrens started to flip out. The lights went out...wait for it...absolute pandemonium when Styles appeared on the ramp.
Styles waited for the "welcome home" chant to subside before addressing the crowd. Styles said he was proud to have gotten his start here 18 years ago, referencing the building's original name, Old Mud Creek School Gym. Styles said it was the building, the wrestlers and the fans that made him. He was there to celebrate all they had done together. Styles reminisced about the rickety old ring that hurt to bump in, the guardrails that taught him to wear elbow pads and the lockers Adam Jacobs got tired of getting suplexed into because it made such a great sound. Styles concluded by asking the fans to support wrestling at Landmark and all local wrestling.
"Because you never know who may walk through that curtain, the next Rock, the next Stone Cold Steve Austin or God forbid, the next AJ Styles."
The show closed with the entire ensemble in the ring celebrating Suicidal Tendencies style – drinking warm Tabs and dousing Behrens with the God awful stuff.
