NAWA Champion Adam James From Jeff Richards: WHERE WERE YOU WHEN THE LIGHTS WENT OUT? NEWLAND (NC) -- There were one and a ha...
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| NAWA Champion Adam James |
From Jeff Richards:
WHERE WERE YOU WHEN THE LIGHTS WENT OUT?
NEWLAND (NC) -- There were one and a half dark matches on the Saturday April 30th North American Wrestling Alliance (NAWA) show. It was quite by accident. A Mountain Electric transformer blew, and power was knocked out in a total of three counties. Needless to say, the only light was provided by two emergency exit signs. Until fans pulled out their cell phones.
Promoter Jason Freeman called it one of the most unique, unforgettable wrestling environments he had encountered. Wrestlers and staff members surrounded the squared circle with flashlights, cell phones, etc. to shed light on this subject.
The match going on, High Profile vs. Rob Killjoy & Tracer X, ended up being a show-stealer. No one panicked, and no one missed a beat. These four wrestled each other on 2/6/16 in Drexel, NC. That match was almost three stars. Saturday night's was 3.75 stars, and that was with no overhead lighting for over 20 minutes of action. Of course, the heels proclaimed they would have won if the lights had stayed on!
Freeman's NAWA experienced four cancellations. James Drake, scheduled to challenge for the NAWA title, was absent. Porkchop Cash Jr. (sick) and George South Sr. (out of state for ring rental) called out. The show was probably made better by piecing together what they had in place. There was some last minute rewriting or adding, but this show was a definite thumbs up.
Attendance was plus 45 from the last time in Newland (March 19th). The 100th fan walked in at 8:30, an hour after bell time. Seeing Appalachian State University (ASU) students at the last two NAWA events is a fresh shot in the arm.
Bunkhouse Buck (Jimmy Golden) was the featured attraction this time around. Instead of coming in just to sign autographs, Golden was booked to wrestle at the age of 65. He may have totaled two minutes of a 10 minute bout and may not be worth what Freeman had to pay him. If the group was thinking about not running Newland again, it is now.
1) The New Burke County Boys (Tony Benge & Little Donnie) prevailed over Ash & Brock Phoenix in 11:39. Donnie (Jamie Mayfield) is back to being called by his original name after a one show "Donnie Little" typo. Benge looked dapper in his robe and tights. Brock had challenged unsuccessfully for Adam James' NAWA belt in Sugar Grove, NC on April 16th. Ash (Boots Price), recently released from prison after a lengthy stay, ended up working in tennis shoes and khaki shorts. Despite not being paired up for years, the Phoenix Brothers unveiled some good doubleteam moves. There was an unfamiliarity between the four individuals. Donnie screamed loud enough that fans in Burke County could have heard him. Benge is a favorite to win the upcoming NAWA Light Heavyweight Title Tournament in Sugar Grove on June 25. Ash tried an apron legdrop on Donnie and stuck to him like glue. Benge went for a figure-four, but Ash made the ropes quickly. On a second attempt, Benge used the ropes for extra leverage. In the meantime, Ash was working with one tennis (or bowling) shoe. At the 10 minute mark. there was a double knockdown. The hot tag was made to Brock. Both Phoenix brothers climbed to the top turnbuckles, and each missed his move. Benge pinned Ash with his feet on the ropes. Best athlete in the ring was definitely referee Mark Henderson. RATING: 1/2 of a star
2) Avery County's Dax pinned Intern #2 in 5:09. There is nothing wrong with booking local talent especially when they bring fans, family & friends. Charlie Banner officiated. Freeman could not remember the young man's last name, so we called him "Charlie Babb." The taller Dax walked the ropes like Undertaker did in his day. Intern worked over Dax' left leg with stomps and kicks. After a Dax suplex, both men were on the mat selling. Dax used a big Barry Windham lariat to go over his masked opponent. RATING: 1 1/2 stars
3) Mason Maddox (Aaron Ritchie) fought to a double countout with Movie Myk after 8:03. This was a grudge match set up by some pre-event talk show vignettes which were re-taped. Thank goodness most fans had not been let into the building yet. A pair of back suplexes by Myk woke up this crowd, which was cheering the heel incessantly. Here are some counters from the Highspots trainees: a belly to belly suplex by Myk and a Brunzell dropkick from Mason. Maddox went up top, but Myk left the ring. A soaring plancha put both down on the Old Rock Gym floor. Mark Foley, who missed part of his daughter's prom to referee, administered the shoot finish count. Post-match: A reverse Irish whip took out the unmasked Intern, who now was videographing the action at ringside. Maddox declared he wanted a no DQ rematch with Myk in August. No particular date was ever announced. RATING: Two stars
4) Buck, Big Donnie & "Magic" Myles Long (w/Digger Brown) defeated the Golden Gladiators & Big Time Ya (Yahya Abdur Razzaq) in 10:40. Buck opened with Gladiator #2 (Freeman) . Less than 60 seconds later, he tagged out. Gladiator #2 could not move the Donald at all. Long knew beforehand he would be taking the heat for his team. Illegal switching by the Gladiators behind Foley's back was nothing new. Buck tried to use Digger's cane, but Foley was h aving none of that. The former WCW U.S. Champ came back in at 9:59 for some lukewarm tag action. A six-way broke out, and Donnie (Webb) downed Gladiator #2 with a twisting DDT to win. Post-match: There was this hilarious bump by Gladiator #1 (Henderson) who could not avoid running into Brown at the entrance way. The masked man turned his back, and Brown swung his cane like he was Dizzy Dean. Intermission ensued. RATING: 1 1/4 stars
5) Killjoy ((Rob Ayscue) & Tracer X (Trent Weatherman) handled High Profile (Sha Sha McGrady & Will Demented) in 22:44. When High Profile was announced, I just had to throw in "Where there's a Will, there's a Shay" which is on their t-shirts. The ASU students thoroughly enjoyed the slapfest put on by brothers Killjoy & Demented. Killjoy resurrected some great memories of Kenta Kobashi's chops. Suddenly, this became a dark match, until everyone started holding up their cellphone. The whole town had lost power from looks outside. Ash & Brock Phoenix added light from the ring apron. Killjoy & Tracer kept tagging in and out while holding McGrady in a bodyslam position. Killjoy's enzuigiri of McGrady straight into a small-package of Tracer was a nice near-fall. High Profile took out Killjoy before he could make the hot tag with 15 minutes gone. Once he did enter the ring, Killjoy was on fire. Exiting the ring, High Profile caught Killjoy's Asai moonsault. Back inside, there was a spectacular DDT of Tracer by McGrady. Demented pulled off a hurancanrana of Killjoy. All four were down and probably exhausted at the 20 minute mark. Tracer dropkicked McGrady while held in position for a back suplex by Killjoy. The Ugly Duckling member took out Demented on the floor with a running plancha. That left Tracer to execute his 450 splash onto McGrady for the victory. RATING; 3 3/4 stars (blew away first match in Drexel by a mile)
6) Adam James (w/Kassie) retained his NAWA Heavyweight Championship, also in the dark, over Timmy Lou Retton and Elliott Russell. An announcement was made prior to this match starting by the Avery County Parks & Recreation Director of what was happening in Newland, etc. I suggested he do this because it felt important to let spectators know they were going to be safe & secure and what to expect driving home. This was the second three-way title match in Newland of the NAWA belt. Russell backsuplexed James on the ring apron. Retton threw James into a trash can right in front of the champion's impressionable young daughter. Both checked on the youngster before continuing. Retton got a foot on the ropes to stop Russell's pinfall attempt off a DDP diamond cutter. Following that close call, Retton cartwheeled into a corner onto Russell. James' spinebuster of Retton was good for a two count. Russell rolled back in just in time to stop James' top rope "whatever he was planning." Retton's moonsault onto James was a real near fall. Russell was superkicked by James, who turned around into a belly-to-belly by Retton. There was another moonsault attempt by Retton, but James was not at home. James ended up falling on top of Retton after a collision and gained the pinfall. RATING: 1 3/4 stars (creative but short)
NOTES: Golden recalled one match in his lengthy list of achievements where he was pinned by an imaginary opponent. He was working with a very green referee who counted him down & out, even though Golden had lost his opponent. It may have been a sunset flip or flying bodypress, but that was the finish, and the referee never held up his count. Golden said "that" was the match and to announce the other guy as the winner.... Long has several dates coming up for NAWA and also WASP in Wilkes County. Recently, his sister Carla (former valet/wrestler Erotica) came to see big brother in Sugar Grove.... Russell loved working Caprice Coleman in Winston-Salem (NC) two weekends ago and told how great that experience was (AML 4/23). "The Heatseeker" said it was right up there with competing against Mikael Judas in China and Chris Shane in Bristol (TN/VA).... Maddox related that he was just playing around with South's niece when she injured her neck recently. The young lady was wearing a full-length neckbrace at the April 16th Superstar Wars event in Gastonia, NC. South is reportedly very angry about the incident.... Benge is the proud father of a 14 year old daughter, 7 year old son and an infant son too. He did work babyface in Newland on the last show here (March 19th) and has proven valuable in being able to switch back and forth.
ANALYSIS: James has secured the title of "company champion." He is putting this promotion on his back and carrying it like a ring general. James, along with wife Tabby, promote NAWA to all their friends and fans. Whether there is a light at the end of the tunnel or not, no one has to question James' commitment to making his challengers look good or the promotion itself for that matter.
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