From Larry Goodman: NWA-Atlanta's presented their biggest show of 2013, "Bash at the Bridge", drawing a crowd of 250 at ...
From Larry Goodman:
NWA-Atlanta's presented their biggest show of 2013, "Bash at the Bridge", drawing a crowd of 250 at the Stockbridge Middle School Gym.
This was my first time attending an NWA Atlanta event. What I had heard about and seen (video from a 2011 TV taping) of the previous incarnations of this promotion, NWA Action and MGCW, had been bad enough to discourage me from sampling the product live. But I kept hearing that things had improved a quite a bit since Cru Jones got involved behind the scenes.
Bash at the Bridge was an impressive presentation on many levels. Elements like the lighting, entrance structure, ring set up and a live performance of the national anthem all smacked of a professional show, although some crucial details were lacking. The ring was inexplicably set up at an angle such that the bleacher view was obscured by the ringpost. The quality of the lighting was just right, but the fixture wasn't centered over the middle of the ring, so one side of the ring was lit more brightly than the other. The National Wrestling Alliance has awarded NWA Atlanta the rights to crown the first NWA Georgia Champion in 14 years, but the upcoming tournament to crown the new champion was barely mentioned.
NWA Atlanta has a following. 250 is an impressive number anywhere in Georgia these days, and the crowd reacted to the key characters and storylines with passion.
The wrestling was average, save a few flashes of inspiration (Drew Adler and Michael Stevens in the 6 man, select moments of Barbarian vs. AJ Steel, Kahagas vs. Pain and Fry Daddy vs. Polo) A whole lot matches were sunk by lousy finishes.
The show opened with Sheik Akbar coming out to berate ring announcer Chad Sheppard. Akbar fled the ring when The Patriot showed up. Akbar said he would strap the washed up has been from sea to shining sea. From the looks of his physique, this Patriot was anything but old and washed up.
Rick Michaels said he had waited 3 weeks for this (As Beauty and The Beast, Michaels and Hayes were the NWA Atlanta Tag Team Champions until Sermon manipulated Hayes into turned on Michaels at the last show). Michaels must be a very busy man because he said he didn't have time to get a partner, so he was going after the tag titles solo.
(1) Simon Sermon & Bobby Hayes defeated Rick Michaels & Matt Sells to win the NWA-Atlanta Tag Team Championship in 5:50. Michaels busted out dropkicks on the both of them, but there was hell for pay his brazen stupidity. Sells faked being Michaels' savior and laid right down for Hayes. They got their point across crystal clear in the minimum amount of time. There's a whole lot to be said for that.
Postmatch, Sermon said he and Hayes were now Beauty and the Beast.
(2) The BFF (Michael Stevens & Anthony Andrews) & Zac Edwards defeated Drew Adler & Judah & Ray Del Sol in 13 minutes. Adler was in most of the way to protect his inexperienced partners - a black guy wearing a Jewish star on his tights and a skinny, little black guy in a lucha outfit. The stuff between Adler and Stevens provided the best technical wrestling of the night. BFF worked their gimmick in stellar fashion. Marv screamed like a girl while taking a body slam. They were having a really good match, but they got too spot happy and it kind of fell apart down the stretch. Adler hit the Drew Drop and his spectacular full speed flip dive to the outside. Judah was ready to fly when Marv shoved Adler into the ropes to spill him off. Edwards then pinned Judah with Pay Dirt.
(3) Fry Daddy defeated Marko Polo to retain the NWA Atlanta MAX championship in 6:25. Polo whacked Fry Daddy with his kendo stick before the match ever got in the ring. Fry Daddy lacks height and has a lot to learn, but he's got fire and intensity and the crowd loves him. Fry Daddy started swinging wildly. One of them connected. Down went Polo. The battle moved to ringside where Polo extinguished Daddy's run of offense with a rude swinging STO into the apron. They went back and forth blocking finishers until Fry Daddy escaped from a running powerslam and somersaulted off the ropes from behind Polo into a stunner. That reads better than it looked and caught the crowd by surprise as the finish. Good match overall.
The Barbarian was inducted into the NWA Atlanta Hall of Fame by the returning Dave Wills (last seen in NWA Atlanta as a heel manager). Wills gave Barbarian a first class introduction with all the right historical references. Barbarian appeared to be legitimately touched by the honor. He gave a brief thank you speech.
Bill the Butcher hit the ring and Jersey Girl issued an open challenge on his behalf.
(4) Bill The Butcher (with Jersey Girl) defeated Zombie Rick Rude (Shaun Banks) in 4 minutes. Rude said he was stiff in his grave until he laid eyes on Jersey Girl, and now he was limp as a dish rag. Rude showed the ladies what a sexy corpse is supposed to look like. Rude ran wild with the swivel hips. Rude set up for the Rude Awakening and waited patiently for Jersey Girl to get on the apron. Rude got distracted. Jersey slapped him and Butcher sorta, kinda kicked Rude in the face for the win. This match was not the plan and it certainly wasn't the best use of the Zombie. Butcher subbed for Jimmy Rave and his match against Axil Anderson was scratched.
Postmatch - Zombie Rude thrilled the ladies with one last swivel hips.
(5) The Patriot defeated Prince Akbar in a Fan Participation Strap Match in 5:58. Match was prompted by Akbar using a strap on Patriot at the last show, and it was way uglier than bowling shoes. Akbar got tossed out and mildly strapped. The guys were wimps with the straps, but at least this Amazon lady got in a good one and put a welt on Akbar's back. Patriot almost fell off ropes delivering the 10 punches of doom. Akbar pulled the ropes down to spill Patriot. What a mess that was. The fans refused to strap Patriot. Patriot pinned Akbar with the worst full nelson slam in wrestling history.
Akbar said Barbarian would destroy AJ Steel, who is over strong as a babyface here. Steel said that he beat Barbarian, Akbar was done with NWA Atlanta.
(6) AJ Steel defeated Barbarian (with Akbar) in 13:27. Akbar is gone from NWA Atlanta. Barbarian bumped for Steel's flying clothesline (his one bump) and took his second TO of the match to regroup. Steel gave Akbar and Barbarian the meeting of the minds. Barbarian lost it and started to choke ring announcer Sheppard. Steel intervened so Sheppard could pay Barbarian back with a chop. Several fans were invited into the act as well, getting licks in on Barbarian. Barbarian took over with the aid of Akbar. Barbarian used the ringsteps and a soft drink can as weapons. They did the deal where Steel tried for a sunset flip, and Akbar locked hands with Barbarian to keep him from going down. Referee Brad Lee caught them cheating, kicked their hands apart and counted the 1-2-3. Not great but better than I expected. I appreciated the way Steel sold big for the legend.
The crowd tortured Akbar with goodbye song. Barbarian got sick of Akbar's crap and headbutted him into oblivion.
(7) "The Tokyo Monster" Kahagas retained the NWA North American Championship vs. Pain (with Jersey Girl) when the match was strangely ruled a draw at 15:28. Kahagas clotheslined Pain over the top rope. Damn, is that guy a load and a half. Kahagas got distracted by the sleazy allure of Jersey Girl, and Pain attacked from behind. Kahagas fired back with stiff chops. Kahagas used a tope. They brawled into the bleachers. Pain started throwing his considerable weight around. When Kahagas tried for a springboard crossbody, Pain squashed him with a slam. Pain missed massively with a moonsault. They brawled outside the ring and wouldn't quit. Pain decked referee Lee. Back inside, Pain nailed Kahagas with a big clothesline. Time stood still waiting for a ref. Second referee Tristan Michaels finally appeared to check on Lee. Meanwhile, Kahagas clocked Pain with a hellacious forearm followed by a kick in the head, and he wasn't playing around. Eventually, Michaels called for the bell and wrestlers ran out from the back to break it up.
Sheppard said the match was ruled a draw. WTF? Too bad about the finish, because this was one stiff brawl. Kahagas worked hard and Pain hung right with him.
(8) Andy Anderson defeated Abdul Qadeer (with Kurt Kilgore) to win the NWA Atlanta Heavyweight Championship in 14:15. Kilgore took over management of Qadeer from the banished Akbar and was a disaster at ringside. Evidently his idea of "getting heat" is to interfere right in front of the ref, and draw attention away from the match at the wrong times by taunting fans with clever insults. Qadeer bailed out to avoid the dreaded Scorpion Deathlock. Qadeer hit a beautiful DDT for a near fall. Qadeer has some skills. I'm curious to see him matched up against a better wrestler because Anderson isn't anywhere close to main event material in the ring, although these fans like him just fine. The crowd got behind Anderson, He missed the Stinger Splash, and Qadeer clipped his knee and went to work on it. Anderson escaped from a sleeper hold, connected with the Stinger Splash and locked in the Scorpion Deathlock. While Kilgore ran distraction, one of the AfghanAssassins ran down and slid a chair into the ring. Qadeer tried to hit Anderson with the chair. Anderson moved and the chair rebounded off the ropes, smacking Qadeer in the head.
Afterward -- Qadeer blasted Anderson with belt and unmasked to reveal Tyson Dean. Kilgore said Dean would be the new World Champion in October (Kilgore meant NWA Georgia Champion, as that's when NWA Atlanta will conclude the tournament). The crowd chanted "you sold out" at Dean.
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