From Larry Goodman: Southern Fried Championship Wrestling presented the inaugural Charles William Anschutz Memorial Tournament, in ...
Southern Fried Championship Wrestling presented the inaugural Charles William Anschutz Memorial Tournament, in honor of the former SFCW owner who passed away earlier this year.
The eight man tournament came down to Jacob Ashworth and Mikael Judas in the finals for the Phase 1 Trophy.
Ashworth emerged as the winner in a storybook ending. Over the course of three matches and an emotional victory speech, Ashworth turned in multi-faceted performance thatmay have been the best of his career.
Judas has been close to perfection as the evil and sadistic monster who does SFCW Champion Corey Hollis’ bidding. Judas elevates his opponents, not that Ashworth needed elevating. No wrestler in Georgia has had a better second half of 2018 than Mikael Judas.
The sole non-tournament bout, a superheated grudge match between AdrIan Hawkins and Bobby Moore was everything it was cracked up to be. Moore lost via failed intervention by Todd Sexton and must rejoin The Approved as a result. The plot thickens.
This show was a pro wrestling ensemble performance at its best. To a man, everyone involved did their part and did it well.
Booker Sexton did a stellar job of presenting a variety of matches within a pure vanilla tournament format. Sexton has the fans in Monroe eating out of the palm of his hand… and for good reason. The twists and turns in the stories just keep on coming.
Paid attendance at the Monroe Boys & Girls Club Gym on Thanksgiving Night was 261 (up from 180 last year). As Southern Fried’s Scottie Harvey put it, Charles packed the place one more time.
Bill Behrens opened the show paying tribute to Charles. Behrens said Charles brought the tradition of Thanksgiving night wrestling back to Georgia last year. BB’s team (SFCW tag champs Master and Machine) weren’t on the card but he wanted to do something for the show.
Behrens proceeded to sing the national anthem and did damn fine job of it.
Opening round matches:
(1) Jacob Ashworth defeated “The Best Bestie” Michael Stevens in 6:40. Ashworth was in firm control when he aggravated an old neck injury. Stevens immediately focused on the neck. Ashworth’s facial expressions and body language were terrific here. Ashworth reversed a piledriver into a single leg crab. Crowd chanted big for the tap but didn’t get it.. As Stevens charged into the corner, Ashworth went up and over for a schoolboy pin. A solid opener. Stevens was hampered by a calve injury. Ashworth took good care of him and it wasn’t a factor during the match.
Ring announcer Rick Richards addressed the Anschutz family seated at ringside, thanking Charles giving him a chance.
(2) “Pale Horse” Josie Quinn defeated Alan Angels in 8:05. Angels did great job of getting the crowd behind him without pandering. Quinn leveled Angels as he went for a springboard move to turn the tide. This was a smart pairing. Quinn’s power moves looked impressive against a guy of relatively equal size. Quinn hit a pair of chokebreakers followed but a gutbuster. Angels pulling Quinn’s beard got a pop. Angels hit a standing Spanish fly for a close two count, then applied a Rings of Saturn but Quinn made the ropes. As Angels went for a slingshot sunset flip, Quinn grabbed the ropes for leverage to get the pin. Good match. The work was crisp. Angels showed why he is one of the favorites for the most improved wrestler of the year award. He’s showing great versatility as heel or face.
Dr. Joseph Brock II came to the ring wearing a plastic fireman’s hat and introduced “fire marshall” Drew Blood.
Blood showed why he is one of the most entertaining wrestlers around. Using “Hot Stuff” for entrance music, Blood entered in full fireman’s gear and claimed People magazine said the three sexiest professions were JB Enterprises employees, special ed teachers and volunteer fireman (Blood is all three).
Blood gave a fire safety briefing:
#1 - Do not light Freddy Kruger gloves on fire in an enclosed space.
#2 - Makes sure you deep fry in lots of oil.
Blood said he was going to show the fans how to fry a turkey, not just any turkey, the sleaziest, greasiest turkey in Georgia.
(3) Stryknyn defeated Drew Blood (with Dr. Joseph Brock III) via submission 10:17. Blood said Brock was his fire retardant. Blood wasn’t having much luck against Stryk. Brock tried to use Blood's helmet as a retardant against getting punched in the face by Stryk. That failed but Blood capitalized on the shenanigans by clipping Stryk’s knee. Blood worked on Stryk’s knee with a vengeance. Don’t be fooled by Blood’s buffoonery, his wrestling technique is sound. Stryk made a comeback on one leg. The bad leg gave out he went for the F5. Blood rolled him up but Stryk kicked out and applied a double wristlock. Match worked well and Stryk’s selling of the leg was the key.
Postmatch – Blood destroyed Stryk’s leg with a chair…and said that’s how you deep fry a turkey.
(4) Mikael Judas defeated Xander Ramon in 8:24. It is worth mentioning that all of the babyfaces in the tournament received star reactions for the entrances. The hugest pop was saved for Ramon. Judas didn’t wait for the bell to unleash the ruthless aggression. Ramon was game but Judas kept cutting him off. Finally, Ramon gave Judas a spinebuster slam with authority and tried for the Rockbottom. Judas blocked it, gave Ramon two choke slams and went for an uber arrogant one foot pin. Ramon turned it into an ankle lock. Judas was selling like mad. The crowd thought Ramon had him but Judas was able to break the hold. Moment later, Judas hit El Crucifijo (crucifix powerbomb) for the 1-2-3. Judas makes great choices. Ramon showed tremendous fire and had the people believing he might be able to pull off the upset.
Tournament semifinals:
(5) Jacob Ashworth defeated Josie Quinn in 3:11. Quinn went after Ashworth’s neck at the first opportunity. Ashworth tried the up-and-over roll up that won his opening round match but Quinn kicked out. Quinn tried to pin Ashworth by using the ropes ala his opening round match but referee Radar Martin caught him. Ashworth then pinned Quinn with roll of the dice. They kept it short because Quinn got dinged in his opening round match.
Richards asked Ashworth: Judas or Stryknyn in the finals? Ashworth said he was going to do the same thing he’s been doing for years, kicking ass and taking names.
Blood returned stating Stryk was in no condition to compete and he was going to take his place. Once Judas appeared, Blood made a hasty exit, giving Judas the thumbs up on his way out.
(6) Mikael Judas defeated Stryknyn via referee stoppage in 5:03. Judas met Stryk in the aisle and was all over the injured leg. Stryk came off the ropes with a spear. Judas kicked out at the last split second. Stryk tried a second spear and Judas kicked in the face. Judas was looking for the choke slam. Stryk countered with a double wristlock but Judas reversed into a single leg crab. Stryk was in agony but refused to submit. Referee David Weakley stopped the match when Stryk passed out.
Postmatch – Judas attacked Stryk as he was being helped to the back.
(7) No DQ-no count out: Adrian Hawkins defeated Bobby Moore in 16:47. Moore must return to the Approved. Hawkins was greeted by a massive “Adriana” chant. The body of the match was a bacchanalia of brawling dominated by Moore. They went all over the place with Moore hitting Hawkins with anything that wasn’t nailed down. Moore kicked out after taking a tree of woe Van Terminator. Hawkins slugged referee Martin in frustration. Moore caught Hawkins off guard and applied a crossface. 2nd ref David Weakley hit the ring but Hawkins wouldn’t tap. Moore tried for the discus elbow and Hawkins countered with the codebreaker. When Moore kicked out, Hawkins decked Weakley. Sexton came to the ring and read Hawkins the riot act. Moore rolled Hawkins up. Sexton made the count but Hawkins kicked out. Moore then came within an eyelash of pinning Hawkins with the sick kick. The chant for Moore was off the hook. They traded german suplexes. Hawkins hit another codebreaker. Moore kicked out again. Hawkins smacked Sexton, who retaliated with a superkick that nailed Moore when Hawkins ducked out of the way. Sexton reluctantly made the three count. Good God, this match was heated and I loved the finish. Sexton let Moore down at Shindig and inadvertently screwed him over here. The story they’re telling still has legs. It would have been a shame to end it.
Postmatch -- Hawkins forced Todd to raise his hand and laid an Approved t-shirt in the ring before departing. Moore begrudgingly took the shirt with him.
Rick Michaels cut a promo to set up a title match vs. SFCW Champion Hollis on December 15. Michaels said he was 44 years old and hadn’t held a championship since 2001. Thanks to matchmaker Sexton, he was making one last stand. Michaels told Judas to give Hollis a message since he was his b....lackey. “On December 15, this 44-year-old out of shape man will whip Corey Hollis’ ass and take the title.”
While Michaels readily admits his best days in the ring are far behind him, his mic skills are better than ever.
(8) Jacob Ashworth defeated Mikael Judas in 9:29 to win the tournament and capture the Phase 1 Trophy. This match had a real championship feeling about it. SFCW owner David Manders was in the ring for the introductions holding the Phase 1 Trophy. Ashworth showed no fear, walking tall to the ring and going nose-to-nose with Judas. Slugfest at the bell. Judas was covering up and getting pounded until he unleashed a butterfly suplex into the turnbuckles that left Ashworth clutching at his neck. Judas was merciless attacking Ashworth’s neck. Where three stomps would do, Judas delivered seven or eight. Ashworth appeared to have nothing left when he pulled out the move than won him the opener. Judas kicked out and softened up Ashworth’s knee to set up the single leg crab. Ashworth made the ropes. Judas went back to the neck and tried to end it with El Crucifijo. Ashworth escaped and hit the full nelson face plant. Judas slowly rose to his feet. Ashworth was waiting with roll of the dice for a three count and a monster pop. Caught the crowd by surprise. It was so right not to do any false finishes.
Charles’ children came into the ring top present to the Phase 1 Trophy to Ashworth. Manders was there as was Michaels hugging Ashworth. Ashworth said there was a time he thought he wasn’t going to be back in the ring (referencing his legit neck injury). Ashworth said he lost a good friend when Charles died. Charles gave people like him a chance to grow in the wrestling business.
Your dad is looking down and he’s very happy. This is where it (the trophy) belongs, with the people of Southern Fried…This wasn’t just for me, this was for Charles. Charles, I love you, and I miss you, thank you.
