 |
| Photos courtesy of capershammond.com |
In an elegant piece of business, Kaution cashed in his coveted golden ticket and went on to defeat champion Jacob Ashworth and former champion Shane Marx.
Proc Johnston retained the TV title over Joe Black in what was likely the best singles match of his career. Wrestling Black has a tendency to raise an opponent's game.
Ben Buchanan said goodbye to the Landmark Arena. In an all's well that end's well conclusion, Ben turned out to be the good guy fans sensed he was all along and mended fences with father Bull.
All-American Anarchy was a show that built almost perfectly from beginning to end almost like few wrestling show do. It peaked at the end of the first half with Ben's emotional farewell, and again at the end of the night when Kaution captured Anarchy's biggest prize.
The storyline wizardry Anarchy's creative was able achieve with just six matches was impressive. There's a fair amount of smoke and mirror involved in milking as much out the current roster as Anarchy is getting. They have the right man for the job. Booker Matt Hankins is slightly familiar with that situation from PCW.
I was skeptical of the once per month format Anarchy management settled into post-pandemic but they've made a believer out of me. The shows have been really good (except for that Hardcore Hell thing). Anarchy is sustaining momentum and they're drawing hot crowds.
Attendance at the Landmark Arena was 150, same as last month. It was an unusually late arriving crowd for Cornelia. I counted 115 at bell time.
(1) Dany Only defeated Jay 2Strong in a strap match (10:45). Only announced that leather wasn't good enough for Jay so they would be attached by a chain instead. True to form, 2Strong kicked Only in the groin as the chain was being attached. Nut shots have gotten 2Strong out of every sticky situation in this feud. They did violent things to each other, but for some weird reason the match didn't come across to me as being that violent. Only's arm was lacerated after taking a Samoan Driver onto a steel chair. They did the typical strap match ending where one guy follows the other guy making the turnbuckle touches. 2Strong was going for the fourth and final touch when Only yanked the chain into his groin. Only walked by his crumbled opponent to slap the fourth turnbuckle. The crowd chanted "Dany" after the match
The finish was a fitting end to a feud that never quite kicked into high gear. I was surprised to see a blowoff gimmick match as the opener. It was the right call. The match got a solid crowd reaction but not as strong as for the matches that followed.
(2) Duncan Mitchell defeated Brian Blaze (with Matt Hankins) in 8:00 with Bull Buchanan as the self-nominated special referee. Hankins advised "Similac breath nothing of a boy" Mitchell to pass on a match against Blaze. Enter Bull. Being that he was a hands on guy, Bull decided he would ref the match. He reminded Hankins of the deal they made when Bull came to Anarchy - he would be a straight with Hankins as Hankins was with him.
Bull was slow making pin counts for Blaze. He blamed it on age and his bad knee. Hankins was losing his mind at ringside. Blaze was the picture of frustration. Hankins couldn't take it anymore and jumped onto the apron to confront Bull. Blaze came from behind. Bull moved. Blaze collided with Hankins. Mitchell rolled Blaze up and Bull had no problem getting down to make quick three count.
Nothing ground breaking but it worked. The Anarchy crowd took to Mitchell and his youthful exuberance last month in his first appearance. How Mitchell won mattered not, he just needed to win, and what better opponent than the best utility man around.
(3) Najasism & Cedric Terrell defeated Nick Halen & Hunter James in 7:27. This teacher/disciple vs. teacher/disciple match was an outgrowth of the June show. Naja and Halen are in the midst of their best of seven series of singles matches. Fast paced action was the name of the game. Naja and Terrell used quick tags to do a number on James. Halen bailed James out with blind tag. James tipped his hand by cheating to help Halen. The offensive highlight of the match was Naja's blazing tope suicida to take down Halen and James. Naja is absolutely fearless on those topes. As Halen was poised to come off the top rope, James tagged himself in, made a mad dash towards Cedric and got rolled up.
Halen wasn't happy with James but was willing to let it go. James' response to forgiveness was a surprise beatdown on Halen. The Program (Heritage Champion Scott Mayson, Proc Johnston and Ben Buchanan) joined in. Mayson said The Program was a one step closer to becoming a dynasty. Naja tried to save Halen and took a body slam from Proc. Sal Rinauro hit the ring for his match with Ben. The Program bailed out. I wondered why with the odds so strongly in their favor...
The match was OK. The postmatch worked like a charm. James is a great fit for The Program. He may have the most slappable face in Georgia wrestling. Mayson has been doing the best work of his career as the slightly delusional Heritage Champion. and has found his niche as the mouthpiece for The Program.
Hankins' sitdown discussion with "Geter". Hankins said Austin Towers didn't need to be there because the issue was between himself a man that was like family. Geter's music played and out came Brother Azriel to a politically incorrect "midget" chant. Addressing Azriel as Geter, Hankins challenged him to a casket match against Towers on September 25. John Johnson came to the ring. He had Geter on the phone saying the honeymoon was over. Enter the real Geter. Exit Hankins. Azriel stuck around and had temerity to slap Geter in the face. Geter clotheslined Azriel and dumped him out of the ring like garbage. Geter accepted Hankins' challenge. "Get your boy ready. I am going to slowly drag him to hell."
(5) Proc Johnston (with Scott Mayson) defeated Joe Black in his first defense of the Anarchy TV title (13:06). Despite it being his first Anarchy match in years, Black was over huge. Evidently his reputation had preceded him. It was trial by fire for Proc. They exchanged wicked stiff chops and forearms. Black was loving it. Johnston's chest was covered with ugly welts and looked like raw hamburger meat. Johnston speared Black into the corner for a two count, then tossed him out of the ring. Black advanced towards Mayson allowing Johnston to jump Black from behind. Back inside, Joe hit a backcracker for a double down and outfoxed Proc with a german suplex. Johnston's spinebuster looked so good the crowd bought it as a possible finish but Joe kicked out. Johnston would have been pinned by Black's lungblower if not for an assist from Mayson. Mayson got on the apron. Black decked him but as Joe turned around, Johnston clotheslined the hell out of him to retain.
My favorite match of the night. I saw Johnston in a new light as he stepped his game up to a new level. He had to against Black, who has amassed an impressive body of work in multiple promotions since returning from injury less than two months ago.
Ashworth gave the title to Kaution and shook his hand. The celebration was on. Kaution made the most it. He circulated through the every section of he arena shaking hands and giving out hugs.
NOTES: The return date is August 28...Triston Michaels and Michael Gentry were on commentary...The referees were David Weakley, Darryl Hall and Jynnyfyr Wynn.
