TNT Wrestling Report from Clarksville on September 6

From Scott Hensley: Last Sunday night the wife and I were in Middle Tennessee to see family and decided to go up to Clarksville, T...

From Scott Hensley:

Last Sunday night the wife and I were in Middle Tennessee to see family and decided to go up to Clarksville, TN to check out Tried-N-True Wrestling's first ever show. I noticed a lot of impressive looking flyers on Facebook featuring a lot of great talent so I wanted to go up and support the show. Belltime was 7:30 PM CST. VIP Tickets were $25(which I'm not sure what that got people) and General Admission was $15. The event was held at the Wilma Rudolph Event Center and the building is spectacular. It felt like a very modern Armory set-up and came off super professional. The building was packed and I'd estimate over 500 fans(and I've seen estimates as high as 700). Awesome to see a great turnout for this.

The referees were Kurt Herron and Doug Markham – easily two of the best referees in the Southeast. Good referees are like the guys who hold the ball for the kicker in football. You usually only hear about them if they mess up so I do want to say that they did well here and have always done well in my experiences working with them(as a ring announcer) and paying to watch them.

1) The Tate Twins (Brandon & Brent Tate) aka “The Boys” from Ring of Honor(as the accompany Dalton Castle) d. The Young Lions (Lex Lee & Kevin Kaufman) by pinfall in about 11 minutes

Hot opener. I was afraid that both teams were going to be babyfaces here but The Lions played up their love for themselves and showed some good cockiness that had the crowd knowing exactly who they wanted to cheer and who they wanted to boo. They had a lot of back and forth fast paced action that showed both teams' athleticism. It wasn't all completely smooth looking but they kept it moving and were getting great crowd reactions. Kevin dove to the floor to take out a Tate. The other Tate went over the ropes onto Kevin, and Lex jumped over the referee onto the bunch to complete the pile. Back in the ring the Tates hit some combos featuring some diamond cutters. Kevin got dumped to the floor, allowing the Tates to hit their falling neckbreaker/splash off the top combo. This was a match that got both teams over. The Lions had a lot of fans coming up to them at their merchandise table during intermissions. Tates are small guys that pack big excitement. They're finding more and more personality it seems, which probably comes with confidence of getting better bookings and having more matches.

2) Khoya w/ Anthony Lucassio d. Ali Shabazz by pinfall in about 8 minutes

This was my first time ever seeing Khoya. I know his name from reading or hearing TNA results but had never seen him work. He came out with a turban wearing Anthony Lucassio, who is always hatable. They played up Khoya's nationality and Lucassio tried to talk on the terrible sound system. Shabazz was billed as nearby Fort Campbell's own – which got him a nice reaction. Both of these guys were rocking nice physiques. The match started with a bit of a pose off which built to some shoves between the two. Khoya took control and outpowered and outwrestled Shabazz with the help of Lucassio as well. Shabazz fought back and hit a standing DVD slam that got the crowd chanting USA! USA! Shabazz landed tons of kicks and landed an ax kick to the back of the head of Khoya. Shabazz charged Khoya in the corner and Khoya lifted him up and slammed him for the 3. Shabazz came out with an NWA SAW championship but apparently this match was non-title. It was strange to see the “USA Hero” here named Ali Shabazz haha but it just goes to show the diversity of our country, I suppose. Also strange to see the local hero with a championship belt lose clean but I guess Khoya is a guy who is presently with a national/international company so it makes sense.

Tracy Smothers came out and talked about his career and how appreciative he was to get to be a part of T-N-T wrestling before such a great crowd. The microphone crapped out but Smothers said “heritage not hate” in reference to his signature confederate flag based attire. The Washington Bullets interrupted with a noose. Once again the microphone was crappy but people got the idea and the Bullets got it over that they didn't buy Smothers not being a racist. Smothers tried to leave and the Bullets attacked him. Jeremiah Plunkett ran out for the save and we got an impromptu match.

3) Tracy Smothers & Jeremiah Plunkett d. The Washington Bullets (Trey & Jon Williams) by pinfall in about 14 minutes.

The Bullets were heeling it up early, getting to the ropes to escape whatever their opponents tried. They stalled on the outside, which just added to the hatred the crowd had for them. Plunkett gained the advantage and tagged in Smothers. Smothers is no spring chicken and not to say he ever mails it in but he worked HARD here! Smothers just celebrated his 53rd birthday so he's almost double the age of any two guys in this match but that's also double the experience. Jon chopped Smothers but Smothers answered back with his own chops. Jon sent Tracy down with a dropkick and pushed him into the corner with a big running knee. The Bullets doubleteamed Tracy but he eventually fought both of them off and tagged in Plunkett. They hit some doubleteams, including the FBI double elbow spot. Jon smacked the taste out of Plunkett's mouth and ran away to the outside. Jon slid back in and Trey fed a big superkick to Plunkett as he slid in after Jon, a spot that's become a signature of the Bullets. Trey took over but missed a leg drop. Smothers was tagged back in and cleaned house. He and Plunkett hit double shoulder blocks. Jon grabbed Tracy's flag and attempted to use it on him but got rolled up for the 3 count.

After the match, the Bullets beat down Plunkett and Smothers. The Tates came out to make the save as the Bullets rubbed the confederate flags on their crotches.

We took a LONG intermission here. The last match ended at 8:36 PM and the next match didn't actually start until 9:23 PM

4) Rebel d. Mary Elizabeth Monroe & Hayley Shadows w/ Anthony Lucassio by pinfall in about 5 minutes.

Rebel and Monroe were ready to do battle when Lucassio interrupted and said Shadows was supposed to be in this match as well so it was made into a 3 way. The crowd was very pro-Rebel. She was in control early here. Rebel tried a body press and was caught by Monroe, who had some really impressive moments in this match. Shadows knocked Monroe down from behind, causing her to drop Rebel. Lucassio got involved to the dismay of the crowd. Monroe hit a bridging suplex pin for 2 and a fallaway slam. Rebel hit a Famouser. They worked into the corner and Monroe ended up being hung backwards off the turnbuckle as Rebel did a falling splits off the turnbuckle onto Shadows for the pin. I thought it came off kinda clunky but the crowd enjoyed it and they worked hard. I'd definitely like to see some singles matches of Monroe. She's got a good look and as I mentioned, had some nice spots here.

5) Chase Stevens d. Chris Michaels by pinfall in about 26 minutes

These guys have a storied history and I expected them to have a good match. I didn't expect them to have match of the night, which they did. They really worked this match as two guys who hate earch other and the crowd was buying it and wanting more the whole time. Stevens started off on top, as he sent Michaels down with shoulder tackles. Michaels regrouped on the outside and came back in with big rights. Michaels went to the outside and Stevens followed, landing some big chops. Stevens suplexed Michaels on the floor. Stevens told a large section of the crowd to move out of their chairs and they did. Stevens attempted to throw Michaels into those chairs but Michaels reversed and sent Stevens into a sea of empty chairs. Stevens smashed Michaels' head with a can and they brawled around the ring. Stevens and Michaels traded kicks and stomps to the groin, Stevens hit a powerslam on Michaels as he came off the ropes. Michaels fought back with a chinbreaker and some more big rights. They fought to the floor once again. Michaels grabbed a chair but the referee took it from him. Back in the ring, Michaels hit a double axe handle off the top for 2. Michaels hit a side slam for 2 then applied a sharpshooter. He leveraged the ropes on the sharpshooter with the referee finally seeing him and making him break the hold. Michaels covered again for a 2 count. Stevens avoided Michaels in the corner and hit some forward facing atomic drops, clotheslines, and ax kick for a 2 count of his own. Stevens came off the ropes with a huge a flying fist. Michaels brought Stevens down with a neckbreaker to his knee for 2. Michaels climbed to the top rope where Stevens met him with a dropkick and brought him off with a superplex. They traded punches and Michaels hit a superkick for 2, in which the overconfident Michaels pulled Stevens' shoulders up to punish him more. Stevens had enough of Michaels and was able to lift him to his shoulders and slam him off hard (like an Alabama slam off the shoulders type move) for the hard fought victory.

Before Stevens could really even celebrate, a group of three local MMA fighters(Russell Elleby, Nate Landwehr, and Adrian Thomas) were introduced and advertised their upcoming fights. Stevens tried to roll with it but as most people know, he's not a guy who hides his emotions very well. He got back in the ring and told them this was his ring and that this was professional wrestling, something he's proud to do and that he's done well all over the world. The MMA guys weren't going to back down so Stevens hauled off and slugged one in the jaw, another jumped on his back and got slung off, the third nailed Stevens with a knee that sent him back into the corner. Security and wrestlers cleared the lockerroom to break up the fight which required a lot of work to get completely broken up. This was a hot segment. Stevens just wrestled a heck of a match and then stood up to 3 MMA fighters.

It was 10:15 PM CST and there were two matches left.... but unfortunately they went to yet another 20 minute intermission. Someone did announce that Crazzy Steve (an Eric Young trainee recently featured on TNA) was there so I got him to sign my 2009 PWI 500, which was exciting for me because I had no clue he would be there. He was just as surprised that I had that magazine with me haha.

6) Shawn Shultz d. Josephus by DQ after about 9 minutes

Josephus was announced by the inexperienced ring announcer as Joseph-us rather than Jo-See-Phus. The ring announcer was reading off of cue cards all night and combined with the terrible sound system was probably one of the only things that could use a bit of an upgrade. Where's Aaron Camaro when you need him!? Josephus was in full Brody mode, coming to the ring crazed and with a chain. Shultz was the fan favorite here, which was a tad bit odd due to how good of a heel he usually is. He threw everything he had at Josephus but the train just kept rolling. Josephus charged at Shultz with a big claw in the corner but Shultz was able to avoid it and finally take over with some offense. Josephus leveled Shultz with a big shoulder block. Shultz fought back and hit a tornado DDT out of the corner. Josephus sensed the momentum was going against him and decided if he couldn't win the match, he'd be the one standing tall after it was over; so he grabbed his chain and hit Shultz with it – which caused the DQ.

Tiffany and Tyler from Z-97.5 radio came out. Tyler said he and Crimson had a feud going on because he said that wrestling was fake. He said he WOULD face Crimson but would end up beating him up too badly so he called upon a good friend and introduces Eric Young. Young played up being anti-American and how much better Canada was, which elicited lots of USA! Chants. He put over taking Chris Melendez's leg on TNA as just one example of what he was capable of.

7) Crimson d. Eric Young by pinfall in about 18 minutes

These two had a back and forth battle for much of this match. Crimson sent Young to the floor. Young bumped on three consecutive big rights from Crimson. Young worked over Crimson, which got the crowd riled up against him even more. Young posted Crimson and continued dishing out the punishment until Crimson was able to fight back with an impressive T-Bone suplex and a spear for a 2 count. Young hit a superkick for a 2 count. The referee got bumped and Tyler, the obnoxious DJ, ran in with a chair. Tiffany followed and stopped him from using it. They argued to the outside. Young slammed Crimson and hit a top rope elbow for 2. Young picked up Crimson for a piledriver but Crimson fought out and rolled him up for the win at 11:15 PM CST.

A late night but not bad since the next day was a holiday(Labor Day). If they continue to run Sunday nights they may have to cut the total event time down to a couple of hours or start earlier to allow people to get home sooner. I did see fatigue setting in on some of the crowd, especially smaller children, but the quality of the action and attractions kept most people into it the whole time. Several families around me left at the second intermission. It was a nice blend of families and adults who wanted to come out and enjoy an adult beverage and watch some wrestling action without getting too rowdy. They definitely need to work on their sound system and the length of the event, as well as give the ring announcer some coaching but overall it was a great event.