From Jeff Richards: CANCELLATIONS DO NOT CURB ENTHUSIASM BOILING SPRINGS (SC) -- A high school crowd of pumped up teenagers so...
From Jeff Richards:
CANCELLATIONS DO NOT CURB ENTHUSIASM
BOILING SPRINGS (SC) -- A high school crowd of pumped up teenagers so badly wanted to see its teacher/coach win the big one. This rowdy group got its wish, as Scott Stallion seemingly captured the 3Count Pro Wrestling Heavyweight Championship Saturday night (2/27). Then the Dusty finish reared its ugly head, and you wanted to yell, "Hey kids, come back in! He didn't win"!
3Count Pro Wrestling held its "Bulldog Beatdown" at the Boiling Springs High School in front of over 300. Paid shows are fantastic; getting a gym for free is wonderful; having an employee work the main event is nerve-wracking but gravy. Fortunately, Stallion came with a couple of years experience under his belt. He definitely got a bigger reaction Saturday than Ric Flair would have.
Carrying him to the controversial finish were champion Ken Magnum ("Loaded Gunz") and promoter/"Vice-President" Tim Smith. The odds were stacked against Stallion in that Smith, in Magnum's corner, played heel ref. Fans were still supportive of seeing their hero, Boiling Springs' own Stallion, win it all.
What makes Saturday's turnout even more impressive was all the area competition. Less than 10 miles away, every seat in the Spartanburg Memorial Auditorium was sold out for Big Time Wrestling. Jay Eagle's local APW drew 100, and two more shows were going on....all within a stone's throw. It was a great night for pro wrestling in South Carolina. And who ended up where was only the beginning.
From the 3Count roster, Jay Batista was scratched by the South Carolina Athletic Commission, and he ended up across town at Eagle's show. Del Wilkes, who has been falsely advertised at two Big Time shows as the Patriot, was also @ APW. Tyler Gaines worked Norton Lewis' NCW instead of Boiling Springs. Advertised but obviously not in attendance were James Drake, Billy Brash, Nick Kismet and Brandon Paradise.
Running in January is hard for SC groups because of the commission. Everyone has to have had a physical, money paid, paperwork submitted, and license sent out. Of course, this was February 27th, so obviously the show had to be reworked for all of these no-shows. That was done, and students did not care because all they wanted was to see their "native son" win. And he did not, but "they" thought he did.
Magnum came out first with promoter Smith and insulted the kids for their poor usage of English. "That's why you're in Boiling Springs," remarked Magnum, obviously not a grad of this fine institution. Magnum also promised to rip Stallion apart. Then inexplicably, he changed his tune and said "they" would be sitting ringside if Magnum did not defend against someone else.
1) Tracer X and Jett Black defeated Brice Anthony & Rob Killjoy (Ayscue) in 13:32. The first match, which was scheduled for 15 minutes, was in the ring at 7:45; show started @ 7:25. Veteran Bill White watched this match with me, left and never returned. Killjoy pulled off a springboard double stomp on Tracer. He then attempted a plancha to stun Black but hit his own partner instead. Following that was a double tope by Black & Tracer (Trent Weatherman). Anthony tagged in and was much stouter than the faces. Killjoy was announced as hailing from Truth or Consequences, NM and started acting like a long lost cousin of Mick Foley. Anthony rocked Black with a spinning flapjack, and Killjoy added to his misery with a moonsault. Tracer had to make the save. Recovered, Black connected with an ace crusher which had Killjoy dead to rights, but Anthony saved. All four were in the ring when Tracer flipped Killjoy over on a reverse hurancanrana. Meanwhile, Black took Anthony out with a top rope double foot stomp, grazing the "Sons of Steel" member. A pin was made by Tracer on Killjoy following a 450 splash. RATING: 2 stars
2) Joshua Oglesby & JC Harper ("The Highland Embassy") won over Ostgard and temporary partner B.J. Hancock in 10:44. This was going to be a handicap match, as Ostgard's partner legitimately did not show up. "The Modern Classic" Hancock arrived and offered to be Ostgard's teammate. This bout had a 20 minute time limit. Well, Hancock was punched one time and left for the back. Ostgard tried to console him and was slugged for his efforts. "USA" chants started during the double-teaming. Ostgard got rid of Oglesby and was left w/ Harper, the weaker link. It looked like curtains for the Embassy, as Ostgard superkicked Harper and splashed him from on high. Oglesby was there for the save though. The "Scottish Prince" snuck up behind Ostgard and performed a hammerlock DDT to claim victory in this (essentially) two-on-one contest. RATING: 3/4 of a star
After match #2, 3Count commissioner Eric Baughman visited the ring and ordered Magnum to defend his belt or vanquish it. Magnum was upset about this turn of events and threatened the commish. In raced Stallion for a couple of hot moves, and Magnum (w/Smith) powdered. There was so much heat for this segment that I wish the match had taken place right then & there.
3) Sir Jonathan Buffett pinned Brute Force #2 (CWA's Roger Gleaton) in 8:12. First there were the Scots; then here came the Brit. Announced from Trenton, NJ as opposed to Parts Unknown, Force was replacing Batista. He walked across the ropes a la Don Jardine to bring punishment down upon British Buffett (Tim Wilcox). Out of nowhere, Buffett stuffed Force with a codebreaker to the chest, and that was all she wrote. RATING: 1/4 of a star (close to DUDsville) It was like the popcorn match after an intermission except people were exiting "during" this bout. Ring announcer Bill Hazelwood stunningly mentioned Big Time Wrestling "down the road"; thank goodness it was sold out after this match was over. A 15:00 intermission at 8:49 ended at 9:08 pm.
4) Smith's son Ace Armstrong submitted Hancock in a 14:35 semi-final attraction. There was a 30 minute time limit. Armstrong heels for Wilcox' Legacy Pro Wrestling in Newton, NC but is a babyface for the family promotion. Hancock was warned by the charismatic Hazelwood that he would be "suspended" by 3Count for walking out of this match. This was traditional style wrestling, and unfortunately a lot of younger kids see "RAW" and miss out/do not react well. Hancock resorted to his normal cheating ways. Innovative was his springboard elbow to the base of AA's neck. Armstrong's rally was cut short by B.J.'s flapjack. Removing his protective knee pad, Hancock landed a "Bombs Away" kneedrop, but Armstrong kicked out. Armstrong dropped Hancock awkwardly with a pump handle slam and wrenched in his submission hold to submit B.J. RATING: 3/4 of a star
5) Magnum ultimately retained the 3Count crown in 20:13 (60 minute time limit) via reversed decision over Boiling Springs' Stallion. Fans, friends and family members were on their feet when SS came roaring out. Hilariously, no referee was in the ring....until Smith removed his shirt, and there was an official after all. This was an easy crowd that was popping for everything. Stallion was on offense early, lariating Magnum over the top rope. Smith was playing favorites on the first pin attempt by Stallion. Whenever Magnum was choking Stallion on the ropes, Smith would be looking somewhere else or talking to crew/staff members. Smith was conducting ridiculously slow counts and eventually stopped after Stallion dropkicked Magnum into a corner. Stallion confronted the heel referee until Magnum rushed in and accidentally clocked his best friend. The champion was picked up for a jarring powerslam, and here came another referee (Josh Diamond). Magnum escaped in time and delivered a sloppy DDT, but fortunately Stallion kicked out anyway. Therefore, Magnum struck that referee too. The next time Stallion had Magnum beat, a rejuvenated Smith pulled Diamond out to ringside and punched his lights out. All this violence on poor referees! Stallion punched Smith, who took another bump in what ultimately was this match's pivotal point. Climbing to the top rope, Stallion jumped off w/ a frog splash, and commissioner Baughman slid in. Baughman counted the fatal "3," and a new champ was announced. Stallion left the ring and celebrated with students/family. Smith had the microphone and reminded everyone of how much fans in Greensboro, Atlanta, etc. hated Dusty Rhodes' famous finish. He declared that because Stallion punched him, the decision had to be reversed. That gave Magnum time to DDT Stallion and stand over him with the belt, ending "Bulldog Beatdown" on a sour note. RATING: 1 star
NOTES: Gleaton's CWA traveling ring was used for this event. It contained a very professional looking ring barrier, red apron, and black ropes/turnbuckles/mat with red trim. Gleaton conversed with me about his 11 years running Columbia, Orangeburg, etc. His next show, March 5th in Orangeburg, SC at the National Guard Armory, is highlighted by a meet & greet w/ Arn Anderson. CWA (Champions with Attitude) pulls in over 350 fans for its Orangeburg shows with casual easiness. Running Columbia @ the Jamil Temple would be a costly venture ($2000 rent plus no concessions just for weekdays). Orangeburg has been good to Gleaton, Timber, supportive fans who travel miles to see the CWA product, etc....Wilcox commented on the misfortunes that struck Legacy Pro Wrestling on his last show in Newton (2/19). It started with the ring truck having a flat tire on its way into town. There was an issue with the ring where the wrestlers were advised not to hit the ropes. Hopefully all this bad luck is behind Legacy, as a card dealership has approached the group about running elsewhere other than Newton's National Guard Armory venue....Hancock was surprised of a non-booking by Aggression Wrestling on last year's "First Contact" show (9/11/15 - Lenoir, NC).A student at Appalachian State University in nearby Boone, NC, Hancock related he was un-booked that Friday evening. Former group co-owner Chris Schronce had reported Hancock was already booked on September 11th; Hancock related that conversation never took place....The show was taped for 3Count's YouTube channel with commentary and three cameras....3Count Pro Wrestling presents "Locked and Loaded" on Saturday March 12th @ Pickens (SC) Middle School at 7:30 pm. In action: "#1" George South, Magnum (w/Smith), Batista, Gaines, Brash, Buffett, Armstrong, Hancock, Highland Embassy and Steven Cantrell. Meet and greet with front row seats sets you back $20. Other ringside is $10, with general admission costing $5. For more information, call 864-346-3908.
ANALYSIS: There was way too much talking on this show. It started with the announce team coming out and making fools of themselves, inanely interviewing students. Fellow wrestling historian Dan Parris commented that the talking segments had a "RAW"-ish feel to them....The flyer for that March 12th show includes this disclaimer: "Card subject to change (pending outcome of 2/27 event)." Considering all the cancellations and no-shows to work somewhere else, truer words could not have been printed.
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