From Larry Goodman: Bruises & Brews was the best yet from AWE at the District. The inring was up to the company's high ...
From Larry Goodman:
Bruises & Brews was the best yet from AWE at the District.
The inring was up to the company's high standards without breaking the bank. The only national level star was Eddie Kingston. Regional stars continue to shine for this iteration of AWE. AJ Gray, Moonshine Mantell and Jaxon Stone on this show. Jimmy Rave and his Young Dumb & Broke crew were not there, which was a shame on multiple levels.
Attendance hit triple digits. This is a new and blacker audience than AWE has ever had. I really liked the vibe. There were a few holdover fans from the old days, like Bigo Smith, but very few.
AWE has found a home at The District. It stirkes me as their best overall venue ever. The intimacy lends itself to intensity. The lighting is right. The viewing angle from the VIP balcony is amazing. And never underestimate the value of easy, free parking.
It was a never a dull moment with Murder One's booking, and Bruises and Brews may have also have been his most coherent work to date. The stories resonated with their newly found fanbase and smartened them up on the key points. The bugaboo of bloated shows that overstay that burnout the crowd appears to be a thing of the past. The running time was a fast-paced 2:30ish. Murder doesn't shy away from squashing people to get the guys that matter over It left me looking forward to AWE's next show on December 1.
(1) Chip Day defeated AJ Gray to retain the GWC Championship in 11:23. This came from left field as a first match and was a great way to start the show. They killed it. Credible from beginning to end. The champion surprised Gray with a tornado kick and stalked the challenger. Day went for the heel hook but Gray made the ropes. Gray shrugged off a Meteora, hit at tiger suplex and a powerbomb for near falls and went for the kill with a lariat that did not connect. Day got the heel hook again. Gray reversed and destroyed Day with the lariat. Gray got a really close near fall with a northern lights bomb. Day looked to be dead weight as Gray picked him up. Not so. Gray kicked out of Day's finisher (a flying knee to the Medulla Oblangata) at one. It was game over when Day hit it again.
Taliaferro (love the mask) said his intent was to tear down AWE and its heroes one-by-one and introduced his "Queen of Destruction" Ruthless Lala.
(2) Ruthless Lala (with Taliaferro) defeated Christian Garrett in 7:10. Garrett jumped into this spot because Crystal Rose wasn't there. They walked a fine line with the man-on woman violence. The finish was tremendous. Garrett took a whopper of a belly flop off the ropes as Lala stepped aside. Lala then took Garrett's head off with a discus lariat.
Taliaferro said he was reaching into the past a uttered 666. Wheeler freaked out. Lala said AWE was going straight to hell. "Respectfully, fuck you".
Wheeler said Young Professor couldn't be there so he decided to subject his proteges to a pop quiz.
(3) Pop Quiz #1: Jaxson Stone defeated Talon Oxyn in 7:05. Oxyn put up a good fight. He's got springs for legs and used his speed well, It was still tough to buy because Stone is a good athlete and the size advantage was ridiculous. Oxyn got a good near fall with a Yoshi Tonic leading into Stone's sick finisher where he sits out from a Styles Clash position.
(4) Pop Quiz #2: Moonshine Mantell defeated Ethan Price in 9:50. This was one of my favorite matches of the show. Crowd was really into it. They chanted "pizza boy" for Price with affection. The premise was same as the previous match -- a big dude beating up a little guy. What made it compelling was the realism. Price's comeback had such fire and believability that it felt like he had legit shot to win. Takes two to tango and Mantell was also great. The finish saw Mantell plant Price with a devastating Gori Bomb.
It was Price's night to shine. Could be Oxyn next time. They have chemistry and I have the fans behind them as underdogs.
Wheeler announced and open bar ticket would be available for Squad Goals on December 1.
Murder One cut a promo that was gold. Not many better on the mic when Murder's feeling it. Murder laid out his quandry and asked the fans to help -- crossing Taliaferro was bringing back the VERBOTEN 666. The Hierarchy meant getting left in the dirt with your head split wide open. However, Murder was now an owner.. Could he afford to have blood on his hands? Should he suit up and join his crew in beating the living fuck out of Carnies? Their could be only one answer. It happens December 1.
(5) Deandre Jackson defeated "The Natty Daddy" Bradley Prescott IV in 8:37. Good story: Jackson was, as Wheeler put it, "a pissed off motherfucker" because Kingston had shown up for all
of his AWE matches except when he was supposed to wrestler DeAndre. This was the third straight match with a big dude beating on a lesser guy, albeit a guy drinking Lite beer and didn't get the response of the prior two. Prescott wasn't as appealing in the role as Price or Oxyn. Jackson used a pop-up german suplex to set up a spinning backfist ala Kingston for the win.
Ashton Starr came to the ring to thank Jackson for helping him deal with the "Young Dumb Crackheads" last time. Starr asked Jackson to be his partner at Squad Bowl. Jackson said one time only but after that, he wanted Kingston.
Big Xan did a deranged promo before the next match. He's out of mind and doesn't care who knows it.
Wheeler called out 3MP. The dude is small. Not that it's a problem, and it may be an asset. 3MP told Xan he knew he looked dumb but didn't now he was dumb and gave him a one last chance to back out of getting his ass whipped.
(6) One Called Manders (presented by 3MP) whipped Big Xan's ass in 3:12. Xan actually got a fair share of the offense. Unlike his SCI persona, this was a heelish Mander. He used 3MP as a shield. to gethe advantage and took Xan's head off with a lariat to pick up the win.
3MP challenged the "Middle Aged" Professor to produce an opponent for Manders at the next show.
(7) Ashton Starr defeated "Dirty" Andy Dalton in 8:42. Bring Starr back is one of the best moves AWE has made. Dalton proved to be a fairly disgusting individual. A series of standing switches morphed into a twisted dance number. Dalton kissed Ashton and spit in his face. Dalton pulled the straps down and hit a brainbuster. The crowd popped hard when Ashton kicked out. Moments later, Starr put Dalton away with a cradle DDT.
Wheeler announced Show of the Year on December 29 would feature Alex Shelly and the winner of next match vs. Day for the GWC Championship in the main event.
(8) Eddie Kingston defeated Joe Black and Thomas Shire and The Kenway (with Canvas) to become the number one contender for the GWC Championship in 19:01. This was another really good match. It was laid out almost exclusively with one-on-one action and didn't have the choreographed feeling that plagues a lot of four ways. The authenticity of Joe Black is undeniable. If not for losing time to the knee injury, he would be in the wrestler of the year conversation. Kingston is an exquisite choice for a national-level top guy because he's generous about giving other guys the rub. Shire brings something different to the table with the Dory Funk Jr. influence. Kenway is cast as an arrogant jerk, who again showed he can totally hang with the main eventers.
Black appeared to pin Kenway with a falcon arrow. Senior official Max Recon said no. Canvas jumped onto the apron to distract Black. Kenway tried to capitalize with a roll up using the tights. Black kicked out and eliminated Kenway with a lariat at 8:44. Canvas smacked Kenway for losing. Kenway responded to her wake up call by clipping Joe's knee and dropping him on his head with with a piledriver, which earned him mega heat. Officials came to ringside to check on Joe. The second fall commenced with Joe laying on the ring apron in no shape to continue. Shire and Kingston went at it hot and heavy until Kingston pinned Shire with a backslide at 12:44. Black shot Kingston the bird. No love lost there. Black's injured knee figured into the finish. Kingston yanked Black off the turnbuckle with a dragon screw legwhip and locked in a single leg crab. Black passed out from the pain. Recon had no choice but to call for the bell.
Kingston left a distraught Black in the ring. Kenway ran in, clipped Black's knee and was about to piledrive him when Day hit the ring. Kenway bailed. Day wanted to mend fences with Black but he walked away.
Day closed the show with appreciation for the fan support.