Photos courtesy of Corey Tatum From Larry Goodman: Atlanta Wrestling Entertainment’s run at the Spring...
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| Photos courtesy of Corey Tatum |
Atlanta Wrestling Entertainment’s run at the Spring & 4th complex in Atlanta showed promising signs of life at their new day and time (Sunday at 4pm).
I would rank “Season 2 Premiere” number two on the list of AWE events thus far, with only their first Masquerade show ahead of it.
Promoter Josh Wheeler introduced a season’s pass concept for a series of four Sunday shows culminating with the big one on September 13 featuring Sabu vs. Murder One, which will be held in a the two-tiered Dungeon space.
Attendance was in the 60-70 range with 30 of those tickets being of the season pass variety. The Masquerade crowd was larger and hotter from the get go with many of those in attendance just out to have a good time on a Thursday night, wrestling or no wrestling. The crowd today had more of a show me attitude, and AWE won them over. The heat and excitement level built as the card progressed, and they had the place rocking during the latter part of the event. My sense was the majority of those in attendance will be back.
AWE changed up the format with Wheeler positioned at ringside to do the ring announcing and conducting interviews between the matches. The event was taped with the hope of making the footage available on YouTube. The show ran smoothly other than few sound system problems and was completed in under 2 and ½ hours.
Murder One introduced the members of The Hierarchy (AWE Champion Jimmy Rave, Iceberg, Priscilla Kelly). Murder said the people would not get to see the title belt tonight because they did not stand up and show Jimmy Rave respect. Some fool fan decided to challenge Murder One, who loves that kind of shit. Murder laid down in the ring and invited the guy in. He had second thoughts as seen below.
(1) Owen Knight defeated Ken Lee in 7:52 with a Codebreaker. Competitive, fast-paced action with both men working hard. Unfortunately, there was little to distinguish it from a gazillion other indy matches. Knight’s heelish arrogance was in full effect but he did not cheat to win.
Knight said he was being put on the back burner and deserved a title shot. Wheeler said had booked a Lucky 7 Scramble to determine the number one contender on September 13 and Knight might be in the match.
(2) Big Man Challenge Part 1: Sylar Cross pinned Eli Daniels in 52 seconds with an inverted front slam and dared Iceberg to beat his time.
Former AWE referee Andrew Akins said he was there to usher in the darkness in the form of his monster Dark Mon. Akins doesn’t look the part but one never knows what evil lurks inside a man’s heart. Akins did himself no favors by sitting in the crowd watching the main event in his street clothes.
(3) Luscious Leron defeated Ashton Starr. Starr is doing a gay character, at least he was at the previous show. I’m not sure what Leron is up to. I don’t see much in either one of them. Starr appeared to have Leron pinned after a flying ass but Leron kicked out. Starr then flew from the top and Leron made the catch and planted him for the 1-2-3. Neither particularly good or bad, the match was just kind of there.
(4) Big Man Challenge - Part 2: Iceberg (with Murder One) defeated Paul and Julian Coldheart in less than 52 seconds. The Coldheart kids are AWE security/trainees. Berg pinned Paul with a cannonball and hit Julian with the Ground Zero Splash. The splash looked more devastating than usual because Julian was getting to his feet when Iceberg lowered the boom on him.
Wheeler interview Lee, who thanked AWE for giving him a second chance. Wheeler asked Lee what he thought about Knight demanding a title shot. Lee was kind of tongue-tied and displayed negative charisma. Terrible promo. I felt bad for the guy.
Intermission.
Kiera Hogan claimed that Dementia D’Rose was a no show so she had to settle for Kelly as her opponent.
(5) Priscilla Kelly defeated Kiera Hogan. Kelly is coming along in the ring and appears to be more comfortable as a heel. Hogan took a shot to her back at a bad angle and was in excruciating pain, as she evidently hyperextended the muscles in her lower back. She gutted it out and Kelly finished her with a stiff kick to the mouth.
(6) Clint Matthews defeated Marko Polo in 5:13. Polo, protein shake in hand, said he was giving up sex and devoting himself to fitness and we were going to see what the “Marko system” could do. “I’ve been doing Crossfit, too.” Polo immediately cheated on the test of strength. Polo applied a stomach claw to Matthews’ rolls of flesh. Polo paused to take his shirt off and Matthews schoolboyed him. Polo was really funny here and the crowd seemed to be quite entertained by the match. I don’t know how much mileage Polo can get out of this gimmick, but he got off to great start.
Afterward, Polo was limping around whining about a pulled hammy so the match didn’t count.
Wheeler interviewed the returning (from injury) Adrian Armour. Wheeler asked Armour if might he was tugging at Superman’s cape by wanting a shot at Rave. Perhaps he would be better off staying in his lane and building up to it. “If I’m not gunning for the title, why am I here?” Armour replied, and the crowd popped for the line.
(7) Dark Mon (with Andrew Akins) defeated The Solution in 7:57. Dark Mon opened with a standing dropkick, and the crowd was basically going nuts for the rest of the match. Dark Mon overshot the Air Hernandez dive and appeared to land on his head. I guess not because he popped right up like nothing happened. Dark Mon’s chop sounded like an explosion. The thickly built Solution, no slouch in the strength department, dropped Dark Mon on his head with an overhead suplex. Dark Mon had to put his foot on the ropes which showed too much vulnerability if you ask me. Dark Mon popped right up after being dropped on his head again, this time with a german suplex. For the finish, Dark Mon dropped Solution on his head with a sick one handed version of Slim J’s Anger Management. An exciting, reckless match tailor made for a serious head injury, and the crowd ate it up.
The Hierarchy (Jimmy Rave & Murder One with Priscilla Kelly) defeated Chip Day & Adrian Armour in 21:57. “I feel like Hulk Hogan. I’m about to kill a nigger,” quipped Murder after the opening bell. A stellar exchange between Rave and Day built to the key spot where Day leveled Rave with a tornado kick, and Kelly jumped in to shield Rave from further abuse. The crowd reacted like they were well aware that Kelly had turned against Day. Day grabbed Kelly but Murder clubbed Day from behind. Hierarchy got bigtime heat on Day. Chip hit a double missile dropkick and was able to make the tag, but acted like he had blown out his knee and crawled to the back. Armour was left to fight Hiearchy by himself and that did not go well for him. Cross came out to take Day’s place, but Iceberg gave Cross a low blow and drove him back through the curtain. Armour was pinned taking The Ether from Murder and the Shining Wizard from Rave. Kelly kissed Rave’s boots after the match. This was a very good main event, albeit longer than it needed to be, but they never lost the crowd. Armour got over well as a babyface.
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