Photo courtesy of Bigo Smith From Larry Goodman: AWE’s return to District Atlanta for Libra Season 2 made for an interesting exper...
Photo courtesy of Bigo Smith |
From Larry Goodman:
AWE’s return to District Atlanta for Libra Season 2 made for an interesting experience, as AWE shows almost always do. It had the feeling of the good old days of AWE. I’m glad I went and I wish more people had,
Attendance was down to 60 after hitting 100 last two shows. Pick your poison - conflict with the Falcon’s game, the runover from the largest Gay Pride celebration in the Southeast or the over-saturated state of the wrestling business.
AWE had advertised that language would be dictated by the number of kids in attendance. There were very few kids, so the foul language flew freely and nobody seemed to mind.
One thing about AWE is that on any given night, in almost any match, the potential of seeing something special exists. There was a fair amount of specialness this night. Another real plus is the product is the polar opposite of being overly scripted.
Eddie Kingston vs. Erick Stevens was the best match of my weekend. Never underestimate an AWE card that has Chip Day in the main event, especially vs. a wrestler as talented as Thomas Shire. Metro Brothers vs. Gymnasty Boys was another match that made glad to be there. Ashton Starr vs. Jordan Oliver is a match I want to see again.
AWE had advertised that language would be dictated by the number of kids
in attendance. There were very few kids, so the foul language flew
freely to the consternation of nobody.
Wheeler kvetched about the lack of music due to technical problems.
ATM contestant Taliaferro cut a promo. I liked the mask. Said he was coming to tear down AWE’s heroes and cackled ominously. It was a bit too much to be taken seriously.
Murder One said that talk was mad shit about his crew and they were going to kill whatever MFers Taliaferro could scrape together.
(1)The Hierarchy (Murder One & Joe Black & Adrian Armour) defeated Lamar Diggs & Big Xann & with Taliaferro) in 6:43. Twas a wild and fun brawl for everyone except Diggs. It was clear he had pissed the wrong people off, namely the Hierarchy. He wasn’t selling enough. Hierarchy beat the shit out of him to where he had no choice. Black is one of the best things Georgia wrestling has going. He put Diggs out of his misery with a decapitation clothesline.
Murder promised more of the same for Diggs if he didn’t adjust his attitude.
AJ Gray came out to chat with Wheeler about his November 3 GWC title match vs. the winner of Day/Shire and was confronted by The Kenway. Reality star Canvas was with Kenway wearing a very ECWish valet get up --- a see-through top with black tape covering her nipples. Those shorts were barely legal.
Clearly, this was unscripted, bullet point only. Kenway wanted to know why Gray was on Day’s team and called him a baby back bitch. Gray clotheslined Kenway and he powdered out.
We have music!
(2) Eddie Kingston defeated Erick Stevens in 9:55. This was great, at a different level of intensity from the rest of the show and they both looked razor sharp, Kingston’s injured shoulder was heavily taped. They opened with grappling, the moving to a Strong Style striking exchange that left no reason for chops to be thrown for the rest of the night. Kingston kicked out of Stevens’ Tiger Driver. After having Stevens block his backfists earlier in the match, Kingston connected, hit a backdrop driver and a second backfist for the pin.
Kingston cut a wonderful promo that was both classy and heartfelt . He put Stevens over like a god and kissed him on the cheek. Said Stevens beat the shit out of him in ROH and was still great after a nine year layoff.
(3) Young Dumb ‘N Broke (Charlie Tiger & Ellis) defeated Talon Oxyn & Ethan Price with the Young Professor) in 11:04. This match needed somebody with more experience to lead. It wasn’t bad but could have been better. Story was Professor’s guys were not on the same page. Price had a Doomsday Device set up but Oxyn hesitated. The New Jersey assholes pinned Price with a double team powerbomb. If Oxyn didn’t have a legit ankle injury, he surely sold it like the real thing.
3MP, the uncrowned winner of the ATM manager’s contest, revealed his first team member as The One Called Manders, debuting on November 3.
(4) The Kenway (with Canvas) pinned Chance Rizer with a piledriver in 3:05. AWE is making a smart move by pushing Kenway. His work is solid and he can hold his own with anyone on the mic.
Wheeler wanted to know WTF? Kenway said the fans were the problem and no way Day, Shire or Gray were going stand in his way of being at the top of AWE and the wrestling industry.
(5) Ashton Starr defeated CZW Wired TV Champion Jordan Oliver in a non-title match by DQ in 10:55. Starr returned to AWE after a long absence and he was over huge. Wheeler asked Oliver if he was putting the title up. Oliver said no way, he came to wrestle a star (Jimmy Rave). These guy meshed really well. The fast-paced sequences looked crisp as if they had wrestled each several time before. Starr used a Glam Slam for a near fall and Young Dumb ‘n Broke (Ellis, Tiger and Griff McCoy) interfered to cause the DQ.
Starr did a turnbuckle moonsault on everyone and was attacked by YD ‘n B. DeAndre Jackson came out with a baseball bat to save Starr. Jackson called the New Jersey boys “Young, Dumb Crackheads” and said he would see McCoy after intermission.
(6) Griff McCoy pinned DeAndre Jackson in 7:45. McCoy has more size than the other guys in YDnB. Jackson was fixing to take McCoy’s head off with a lariat when Oliver distracted referee Darryl Hall allowing Ellis and Tiger to interfere. McCoy nailed Jackson with a springboard kick to pick up the win.
(7) In a ROAR match, Ruthless Lala (with Taliaferro) defeated Savannah Evans and Crystal Rose in 3:45. It started as a Evans and Lala in a singles match. Rose entered with Stone Cold stunners on both of them. Shortly thereafter, Lala clotheslined the hell out of Rose to score the pin.
(8) The Metro Brothers (Chris & JC) defeated Gymnasty Boys (Timmy Lou Retton & White Mike) in a no DQ grudge match by ref stoppage at 12:50. This was a wild and crazy brawl. A lot of heels at AWE break character to sell gimmicks. Metro Brothers don’t play that way. Mike was threatening to whip JC with a belt (a theme from their first match) when Chris gave him a low blow. JC then choked Mike out with the belt.
Wheeler downed a shot of tequila with Mika Villas and thanked her for being his right hand woman (along with right hand man Danny Danger). Villas is moving to Baltimore for her shoot job.
(9) Chip Day defeated Thomas Shire to retain the Georgia Wrestling Crown (roughly 18 minutes). Opening minutes was pure grappling, they segued to striking and then to old-fashioned brawling. All of it was first-rate stuff. The Dory Funk training is evident a lot of what Shire does and that’s a huge plus if you ask me. Kenway and Canvas came to ringside. Gray showed up to battle with Kenway but not for long. Day knocked Kenway off the apron and threatened to do the same to Canvas. Shire momentarily lost focus and Day caught him with a tornado kick to the back of the head.
Day said he would break Kenway’s ankie if he stuck his nose in his business again and might have something for X tits too. Yes indeedy, he called Canvas X tits. Day challenged the fans to come back November 3 and bring six more with them.
NOTES: Rave didn't make the trip with his students due to a torn calf muscle...Among those in attendance were AC Mack and Azrael...the referees were Max Recon and Hall.