Photo Courtesy of Corey Tatum From Larry Goodman: A night of triumph for Anarchy Wrestling. Fright Night 2017 was the rare ...
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| Photo Courtesy of Corey Tatum |
A night of triumph for Anarchy Wrestling.
Fright Night 2017 was the rare wrestling show where everything worked, beginning to end, top to bottom.
This was the 19th consecutive year that a Fright Night event has been held at Landmark Arena. This one had the violence, the emotion, the spectacular moments and unexpected storyline twists of the Fright Night shows of the past.
It was Anarchy’s best show of the year (the Wildside Reunion is in a category unto itself), a classic case of the whole being greater than the sum of the parts. Fright Night didn’t have that singular, blow away, match of the year candidate, but the show was chock full of strong performance up and down the card. All of the matches kicked ass and entertained.
Fright Night was an economical card with just five matches. Nobody left feeling shortchanged I can assure you. The key matches were all out wars that made distinct and indelible impressions. Having fewer matches only added to that effect.
I didn’t sense much momentum at the go home show two week ago. Come Fright Night, the Landmark Arena was rocking with 160 in attendance. The crowd was strongly into every match with monster pops galore all night long. The gate was sweetened by the sale of 25 backstage passes at $20 a pop.
Matchmake Dan “The Dragon” Wilson opened. He ginned up the base and joked about the horror of Atlanta traffic.
(1)Anarchy Women’s Champion Harlow O’Hara & Crystal Rose defeated Rock C & Jessica Leigh in 5:45. Surprisingly big pop for Leigh who hasn’t appeared at Landmark but a few times. The babyface team was very over in general. O’Hara looked dominated. She’s got presence and a great ring name. O’Hara pinned Leigh with a DDT while Rose kept Rock C at bay. Not much to the match.
The point was to advance the Rock C/Rose story which they did in spades via a heated brawl through the announcer’s area afterward.
Video of The Approved’s heinous attack on Hate Junkies and Team TAG during their match at last show and subsequent challenge for Fright Night. The video alone got a “disapprove” chant from the crowd.
(2) The Approved (Bobby Moore & Adrian Hawkins) defeated Team TAG (Kevin Blue & Chris Spectra) and Lynch Mob (Joey & Matt) and Hate Junkies (Stryknyn & Dany Only) in a four way ladder match to retain the Anarchy Tag Team Championship in 20:19. Stryknyn had Freddy Krueger finger knives lit on fire for the occasion. At the opening bell, all four teams made a beeline for the ladders. Junkies were first to get control of a ladder. Only did the Terry Funk spot where he put his head inside the rungs and spun around hitting everyone in sight including Stryk. Team TAG destroyed Only’s back with a sick powerbomb onto a bridged ladder. Only was done for the night…or so it appeared. Attempts to climb the ladder were repeatedly cut off before the climber could get close to the top. The crowd went nuts when Stryk cleaned house. Blue’s nose was busted open hardway by Stryk’s headbutt. Lynch Mob laid Stryk on a ladder and hit their finishing sequence on him. Hawkins gave Blue a quebrada as he was laid out on a ladder. Moore was the first to touch the belts but couldn’t seal the deal. Joey took out three guys with a moonsault off the turnbuckle and got the “this is awesome” chant. The carnage was complete. Nobody was left standing. Hawkins gave Matt a german suplex into a ladder in the corner. Team TAG executed a double team on Joey that Wilson called attempted murder on the commentary. Stryk simultaneously speared Team TAG. Team TAG destroyed Stryk with a double team. Only reappeared clutching at his back. With the crowd chanting his name, Only climbed the ladder in agonizing pain. It was not to be. Hawkins gave Only a codebreaker off the ladder and Moore got the belts. Great match. They did a ton of cool spots without doing anything life threatening, which was fine with me. Only’s history on injuries was logically woven into the story and kept it credible – no stupid moments where it’s obvious a wrestler can get the belts if he wants to and doesn’t.
Postmatch – chants of “Disapprove” and “Hate Junkies”.
Buck promo on the video screen vowing to end Gladiator Jeremiah’s career just as he done to Shadow Jackson. Cause of death: Buckshot to the face.
Video of Jeremiah confronting Buck at the last show, stating it would be chapter closed for Buck at Fright Night.
(3) Gladiator Jeremiah defeated Billy Buck in an unsanctioned fight with Shadow Jackson as the special referee in 17:15. Massive pop and chant for Shadow. Buck was backpedaling from the get go. Jeremiah thrashed him outside and inside the ring. Buck’s Team TAG buddies, Blue and Spectra attacked Jeremiah. Team TAG tried to kill Jeremiah with a triple team powerbomb on the ramp. Jeremiah fended them off and hit a corkscrew dive on all three. However, Blue and Spectra continued to interfere at will. Buck gave Jeremiah a heart punch (a cruel reference to Jackson’s heart attack) and set up to finish him with the Buckshot. Jeremiah countering with the inverted STF. Jeremiah cut off Team TAG’s interference. Jeremiah was on fire, laying Buck to waste with signature moves. Blue jumped in behind Jackson’s back with an Air Raid Crash. Jeremiah kicked out of Buck’s cover. Spectra gave Jeremiah a fishermanbuster. Jeremiah kicked out again. Jeremiah avoided the Buckshot and hit the jumping hangman’s neckbreaker. Team TAG to the rescue. Buck superkicked Jackson. Team TAG hit Jeremiah with another round of big moves ending with the Buckshot. Buck was nearly in tears when Jeremiah kicked out. Team TAG tried to duct tape Jeremiah to the ropes. Jackson could stand no more. He headbutted the hell out Blue and Spectra. The crowd went bonkers. Jackson squared off with Buck, then motioned for Buck to look behind him. Jeremiah was waiting with the hangman’s neckbreaker. The building exploded as Jackson counted the 1-2-3. Couldn’t have asked for more out of this match.
Jeremiah and Jackson hugged. The crowd chanted “thank you, Shadow”. Jackson’s signature “I am Ironman” music played. The crowd refused to let up on the Shadow chant. It was a truly heartening experience.
(4) Kyle Matthews defeated AJ Gray via submission to retain the Landmark Heritage Championship in 14:04. Dueling chants at the start. Display of power and agility by Gray. The champion took a TO. Gray followed with an Asai moonsault. Matthews answered with a suicide dive. Gray caught Matthews coming of the ropes and planted him with a DVD for a near fall. Both men on the canvas after a collision of crossbodys when...
Crystal Rose and Rock C came barreling out of the back trying to annihilate each other. A troop of refs and security people finally pulled them apart. Chants of “let them fight” and “that was awesome”. Crystal bailed out of the front door. The crowd chanted for Rock C as she was ushered to the back.
Back to the match, Matthews and Gray chopped the crap out of each other. Gray missed a moonsault. Matthews hit a frogsplash for a two count. The dueling chants picked up again as they battled on the ropes. Gray connected with the moonsault for one near fall and got another close near fall after a buckle bomb and decapitation lariat. Moments later, Matthews applied the Hidaka lock to secure the victory. A crisp, clean, back and forth match. Matthews’ experience really helped smooth out the transitions.
The crowd chanted “AJ” after the match. Gray accepted Matthew’s handshake…then kicked him in the jewels and hit a Splash Mountain to leave him laying. The fans were highly disappointed by this turn of events. I had mixed feeling. Gray’s turn worked for shock value and he left with heat. On the other hand, Gray went from an unknown commodity to really being over a babyface. That’s no small feat in this building and this match would have elevated him further. I was surprised the creative forces didn’t go with the momentum.
Wilson announced Anarchy’s first ever women’s cage match for November 11 – Rock C vs. Crystal Rose. Crowd loved it.
(5) Gunner Miller (with Jeff G. Bailey) defeated Jacob Ashworth in a steel cage match to retain the Anarchy Triple Crown Championship in 15:49. Huge ovation and chant for Ashworth – probably the loudest longest on a night when there was a lot of competition for that honor. They traded bombs with Ashworth coming out on top. Ashworth was wearing Miller out with gutshots and shoulder blocks. Gunner, however, blocked Ashworth’s attempts to send him face first into the cage. Miller capitalized on a missed Stinger splash and went to work on Ashworth’s bad neck. The kids in the crowd broke out a ridiculously long dueling chant. Miller gave Ashworth snake eyes into the cage. Blood starting pouring out Ashworth’s forehead. It was ugly, not Harvey Weinstein ugly but close. The chants was all for Ashworth now – long and strong. As Miller pressed the advantage, the adults fans were calling for his blood. Ashworth blocked a second snake eyes and hit roll of the dice. The crowd roared when Ashworth sent Miller’s head into the cage but no blood. Ashworth hit his finisher but Miller kicked out. Miller came back with the CTE. Ashworth rolled a shoulder at 2.9. Ashworth became the first wrestler to kick out of Miller’s jackhammer. Bailey was going crazy. Miller blasted Ashworth with taped fists. Hanging on by a thread, Ashworth flipped the double birds. Miller gave Ashworth two CTEs into the cage followed by a spear into the cage before putting him out of his misery with the Jackhammer. Match was compelling in its gut level brutality. The finishing sequence was unforgettable. Miller looked every bit the invincible champion. Ashworth was beaten but unbowed. He may have lost the feud but lost nothing in the eyes of the Anarchy fans.
Bailey cut a hellacious promo. Bailey was pissed that Riddle not answered their challenge but had accepted the NCW match with Austin Theory. Bailey said Theory was a good kid but there was only one star in this building. Bailey said they would be at NCW on December 22 and kick Theory’s ass if that’s what they had to do to get Riddle. Bailey said Miller was the uncrowned world champion and the Anarchy Triple Crown Championship meant more than any other title because Miller carried it.
Lights out --- Logan Creed appeared on the ramp to yet another monster pop. Creed hasn’t been at Anarchy of late but he’s had recent Friday night run with NCW. Creed proceeded inside the cage and made it clear he wanted the title. Security hit the ring to separate them. Creed headbutted Miller and busted his forehead open. It was the only physical contact they had. Creed glared at Miller while being held back by five guys. This is a match the Anarchy fans badly want to see.
Ashworth was the last to leave the cage with the fans chanting his name. Just when it appeared all was said and done, a guy in a clown mask attacked Ashworth and choked him out. The clown mask came off to reveal Brad Cash. Security returned (man, they did they ever get a workout on this show) and hustled Cash out of the building.
Presto! Ashworth has his next program in form of the psycho hardcore maniac “Deathwish” Brad Cash.
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