From Larry Goodman: Atlanta Wrestling Entertainment is alive and definitely living way better than during the promotion’s darkest hour...
From Larry Goodman:
Atlanta Wrestling Entertainment is alive and definitely living way better than during the promotion’s darkest hours at Furnace 41 in Jonesboro. Potholes in My Lawn wasn’t AWE at its best but it was one hell of an improvement.
Chip Day became AWE’s first two-time Georgia Wrestling Crown Champion by way of victory in a 6 way Pier Six Brawl that was the highlight of a good show. Day pinned inaugural GWC Champion Jimmy Rave in his return to Georgia to win the match. Rave looked sharp in the ring albeit carrying a bit more table weight.
A crowd of 75 turned out for the company’s reboot in their new digs. Paid attendance was 77 as some ticket purchasers did not attend. The energy in the crowd was a welcome change from the grim death atmosphere of the Combat Entertainment shows. Some hardcore fans from the old days were in the house but there was a higher percentage of new faces than I anticipated.
Josh Wheeler announced a return date of August 4 at District Atlanta for Homegrown 2019. AWE cut a good deal for the building and the talent budget is nowhere close to what it once was so they’re not going to get crushed financially by sub 100 houses.
Yes, Wheeler is back under protest…as president. More on that later.
Wheeler hasn’t lost his eye for talent. The Metro Bros (trained at Team 3D Academy) came in from Florida and had fine match with Gymnasty Boys.
Thomas Shire made an impressive debut as a replacement for Gary Jay in the Pier 6 Brawl. With his striking skills, grappling and size, Shire (Dory Funk trained based out of St. Louis) would be working near the top of the card on most any show in Georgia.
District Atlanta is good fit for AWE. For one thing, the venue located in Atlanta proper. Alcoholic beverages are served. There’s plenty of standing room around the ring and comfortable seating is available. The lighting and sound are excellent. It is an adults only environment.
(1) Talon defeated Ellis Taylor. The match morphed into a tag…
(2) Young, Dumb N Broke (Charlie Tiger & Ellis Taylor) defeated Talon & Chance Rizer. Young, Dumb N Broke is out of New Jersey (CZW). CZW Wired Champion Jordan Oliver is part of the group and was scheduled to defend his title against Matt Kenway but didn't make the show due to MLW. I walked in just after this match concluded.
(3) Big Xann (with Lamar Diggs) pinned Sean “Tank” Sims in 3:07 with a Killian Dain style running crossbody. Xan is still behaving like a pillhead but claimed to be stone cold sober.
Next up was one of those totally unscripted, off the rails promo segments that AWE specializes in. This one looked, tasted and smelled like a shoot. Wheeler was in the process of explaining that Chris Crunkk was out of the Pier 6 Brawl when a fire breathing Blacklist Uno interrupted. “What are you doing? I thought you quit?” Uno said he was no longer president and he was turning the company back over to Wheeler. “You be a leader. Be a fucking man. We’re going to run this bitch like always.” Wheeler objected in an obscene manner. Uno got in Wheeler’s face and threatened to make him beg for his life.
(4) Matt Kenway defeated DeAndre Jackson in 6:06 to earn the final spot in the Pier 6 Brawl. Chris Crunkk was slated for the 6th spot but got injured the night before. Kenway worked over Jackson’s leg and tried for submission. Jackson was in the process of strong comeback when Kenway got him with a low blow.
Wheeler tried to quiz Kenway about how he was going to handle the Pier 6 Brawl. Was he going for the title or letting Dayway leader Chip Day have it? Wheeler never got an answer because Jackson was coming for Kenway so he skedaddled.
(5) Adrian Armour defeated Griffin McCoy in 13:36. McCoy is another member of Young Dumb N Broke. He had the best look of the three. Armour is a talented wrestler who could be a more of player in Georgia wrestling if he desired to get outside the AWE orbit. McCoy used dragon screws to set up a figure four. After a missed springboard roundhouse by McCoy, Armour uncorked the Destructo Discus Lariat. Good match.
(6) Gymnasty Boys (Timmy Lou Retton & White Mike) defeated Metro Bros (Chris & JC Metro) in 14:21. The crowd was really into this match. The Gymnasties are big AWE favorites and were clearly the most over act on the show. Metro Bros got heat with their confrontational attitude. Gymnastys did the rowboat spot early. Metros punted Retton in the groin to start the heat. JC got catapulted into Chris’ crotch leading to the hot tag to Mike. Nice falcon arrow by Mike. Hart Attack by Metros also nicely done. Double subs by Metros broken up by Retton. Metros were going for a double team when Mike speared Chris and Retton pinned JC.
Postmatch – Mike said they had a lot in common with Metros – both teams were opinionated pricks that traveled the road, so let’s do it again. Fans liked it. Metros started to shake on it, but NO. Instead, they ended up whipping Retton with a belt.
Wheeler said the rematch would take place at Homegrown on August 4.
(7) Chip Day defeated former GCW Champion Jimmy Rave and Thomas Shire and Matt Kenway and AJ Gray and Blacklist Uno to win the GCW Championship in 44:30. This was a potent combination of wrestling, brawling and story. Two men started and another man entered every five minutes. Match went until all but one was eliminated by pinfall or submission. There were no other rules. Day and Shire started. If you like brutal strikes and grappling this was for you. Rave’s music played but Uno came out and went straight for Day. Such a treat to watch Uno’s punches compared to what passes for punches these days. Kenway entered and Dayway worked together. Gray entered and ran wild until Uno cut him off with an uber eye rake. Day and Kenway locked Shire in a double submission on the floor. Rave entered. Uno tried to renew the Hierarchy bond with Rave but Rave didn’t appear to be feeling it. Kenway and Rave teased throwing each other off the balcony which would have been completely insane. Gray dropped Shire on his head at 28:20 to eliminate him. Rave pinned Kenway with the smallest package in pro wrestling at 29:14. Uno kicked Gray in the nuts to save Rave and pinned Gray with the Ether at 33:25. Rave made it clear that he was on the same page with Uno and they went after Day with a vengeance. Day persevered, pinning Uno with the flying knee to the base of the neck and it was down to the former champions. Day pinned Rave with the Northern Lights Bomb to win the title.
The Gymnastys hit the ring and the celebration was on. Day cut an emotional promo, talking about how his personal issues had been aired out in the public eye, how the AWE of the last year wasn’t AWE and people said it should have stayed dead, but if they wanted it to stay dead they should have buried him a little deeper. Day thanked the fans for their support, calling several out by name and said AWE wasn’t going anywhere.
NOTES: Rave is training and booking for CZW…AWE’s next shows are July 12 and 13 at The Southern Fried Gaming Expo at Renaissance Atlanta Waverly Hotel…The July 12 show has the Brown Paper Bag Challenge. July 13 will feature N64 No Mercy only Revenge Battle Royal…The referees were Max Recon and Darryl Hall…Ashton Starr, AC Mack, Jeffrey Taylor and the guy that wrestles as Victoria Ventress were in attendance Sunday night…Crunkk was injured taking a Spanish fly off a ladder through a table at the July 6 New South show.
