Andrew Everett From Jeff Richards: "WRESTLING UNDER THE STARS" BRINGS STARS, CLOUDS HICKORY (NC) -- An auspicious ...
 |
| Andrew Everett |
From Jeff Richards:
"WRESTLING UNDER THE STARS" BRINGS STARS, CLOUDS
HICKORY (NC) -- An auspicious debut for Northeast Wrestling down South on a sultry Saturday evening (6/4) was a concessions boost for the Hickory Crawdads organization. Thank goodness it was a paid show, or Northeast's promoter Michael Ryan might have been thumbing it back to Boston.
Over 355 wrestling fans filled some ringside and other seats @ L.P. Frans Stadium in Hickory where rain was forecast 40 percent of the time. The paid gate was assuredly more than 400, as you have to surmise some folks just may have stayed home/dry. Northeast promised & delivered Ric Flair (promo) and Jeff/Matt Hardy (main event). Magnum T.A. was advertised but did not appear anywhere near the ring (maybe concourse outside).
"Wrestling Under the Stars" showcased Highspots (RINGS school) trainees/employees and friends from CWF Mid-Atlantic. Two Northeast-based workers wrestled the Hardys; I guess Jeff Lewis Neal & Bam Shaw were busy this spring. Needless to say, the kids were lined up to see "Brother Nero" and his "Broken" brother. Best match of the night was played on the jumbotron beforehand (Flair vs. Terry Funk from Baltimore, MD on July 23, 1989).
Ring announcer Brett Wolverton and referee Kevin Pierce appeared promptly @ 7 PM and conducted a 10 bell salute for Muhammad Ali. Wolverton introduced the "16-time World Champ" and "two-time WWE Hall of Famer" Flair, who rode in on a golf cart. Flair put over Ryan's "First class show" and the Hardys as future Hall of Fame invitees. He wanted to party with the Hardys, noted they were both married, and quoted "Marriage doesn't work" for himself. The show was taped for dvd release by northeastwrestling.com and highspots.com.
1) "The Midnight Son" Caleb Konley (Mason Burnett) pinned Ian Payne in 8:14. Konley was representing "The Revolt" who all appeared in one form or another on this show. Movie Myk, Big Time Ya and Randall Eaton each cheered for Konley from the stands. Nice ranas by Payne until Konley, the former EVOLVE champion, used his noggin. A butterfly suplex netted Payne a two count. Konley turned the tables with a "Tiger Driver" for his own two count. He immediately transitioned into a half crab submission; Payne found the ropes thereafter. It was 80 degrees at belltime. Payne hit a snapmare DDT good for a two count. Konley sealed the deal with a "Falcon Arrow" out of a F-5. Both men took the long walk back to the Crawdads' locker rooms. RATING: 1 1/2 stars
2) Savannah Evans (Rachel Freeman) pinned "The Supermodel" Amy Love (Amy Greene) in 6:10. Wrestling school trainee Matt Graham refereed. Evans kicked things off with a nice pinning combo out of a fireman's carry for two counts. Love was trying every which way to pin her foe. "The Supermodel" was bullish on a corner rush, but Evans countered with a schoolgirl. Love wanted fans to "stop it" with their chants, but everyone enjoyed rooting for Evans. Fans though sensed Evans' rolling lariat (a la RVD) seemed to occur in slow motion. Love responded with her fashion model catwalk into a legdrop but missed. Immediately Evans performed a perfectplex, and that did in the fashionista. RATING: 3/4 of a star
3) In a no disqualification triple threat match, "Kick to Kill" Cedric Alexander prevailed over Zane Riley ("The Revolt") and Harlem Bravado in 17:38. The NXT-bound Alexander was cheered here. Riley was ganged up on early. Instead of being slugged with chairs, Riley threatened to run the bases. The Crawdads would not have been impressed. Alexander and Bravado went at it, as wrestling purists begged Riley to stay outside. Harlem hit a stunner and rained down the ten punches of doom. Zane's strategy was to keep Cedric out and concentrate on Bravado. At 7:45 PM, the temps had dropped two degrees. A "Michinoku Driver" by Alexander flatlined Riley, but Harlem was there to break up the pinfall. Bravado sprung backwards into an ace crushing of Alexander for the next near fall. Riley executed a cannonball onto Alexander while Bravado was crotched in the corner. When Alexander recovered, he powerbombed Riley, who was simultaneously suplexing Bravado. A "Lumbar Check" on Riley would have won it for Alexander, but Bravado saved. So, Alexander took his frustration out on Bravado by giving him one too and won. RATING: 2 1/4 stars (best match)
4) Brad Attitude (Brad Greene) pinned "The Man Scout" Jake Manning (Jake Feuerbach) in 9:17. Attitude came running through the audience and admitted "I'm already tired." Manning consulted his Boy Scout book while held in an armbar. Unfortunately, he did not get to the chapter on "Selling a Wrestling Move." Manning was running the ropes while consulting his manual until Attitude tripped him and started taking Jake to school. Attitude accidentally slid into the ring apron and disappeared underneath the ring to avoid Manning's beatdown. Coming out the other side, Attitude (baseball) slid past home plate. Manning manipulated Attitude on the outside, and the former WrestleMerica Heavyweight Champion barely beat Graham's count back in! In honor of Flair's appearance, Manning took a big toss off the top turnbuckle. Attitude connected on his springboard swanton, but Manning kicked out. It was the corkscrew flying bodypress which enabled Attitude to procure the win. RATING: 1 star
5) Trevor Lee (Caddell), current TNA X-Division titleholder, pinned Andrew Everett (Drew Everett Wenkel) in 6:28. It was a rematch from Global Force Wrestling's baseball stadium show in Winston-Salem, NC on August 14, 2015. Wearing no belt, Lee jumped Everett before the bell sounded. Although allies in TNA, Lee threw Everett into the barricade. Amazing hurancanrana from Everett, but when he tried to follow up, Lee met his opponent with a big kick. Lee: "I'm the strongest person in the world." Fans: "Nooooo". A twisting corkscrew plancha over the ropes leveled Lee. Everett's running "Shooting Star" press gained a two count for the X-Division Title contender. Lee delivered a double foot stomp onto Everett (as he came off the ropes) AND landed on him. Everett climbed u\p to the top for a "Shooting Star" press, but Lee got his knees up. All in the same move, Lee rolled Everett into a small package from his seated position. It was the shortest match the two young stars have ever had against each other. RATING: 1 1/2 stars
6) Matt Hardy won via disqualification over TK O'Ryan after just 6:44 for outside interference. In O'Ryan's promo, the Northeast transient referred to Hickory as a "dump." Well, if his plane landed at the Blackburn landfill.... O'Ryan made an Ali joke that was way too soon and classless. He brought a baseball bat into the ring and wore a t-shirt with his likeness on the front & back. O'Ryan claimed that "Brother Nero" (Jeff) would not be appearing and challenged for a replacement. Matt Hardy, the new WrestleCade Champion, chased O'Ryan around ringside. He wanted a "Twist of Fate" outside the ring but got posted instead. Graham awkwardly stopped counting the two competitors. O'Ryan actually scored a two count on the former TNA World Heavyweight Champion after a DDT. Hardy's bulldog at 9:01 PM was kicked out of by O'Ryan. A "Side Effect" might have been the winning ticket for Hardy, but an unannounced wrestler ran in to attack for the DQ. Jeff Hardy saved his brother, setting up the tag team match main event. RATING: 1/2 of a star
7) The Hardy Brothers defeated O'Ryan & Vinny Marseglia in 9:47. Prior to further contact, Jeff told his brother "Broken" Matt to put aside all differences aside in order to win this upcoming contest. The former WWE Champion has added mass since breaking his leg and missing most of 2015. Jeff's double clothesline off the apron took out both villainous opponents. Jeff pulled the hair of Marseglia and dropped a leg. During his "Twist of Fate" attempt, Jeff was shoved into the ropes by Marseglia, who mocked Hardy's mannerisms. Both heels were approximately the same weight as WWE's ongoing "Cruiserweight Classic" contestants. Several fans on the front row were standing while Matt took the heat in the heat of the night. Matt nailed a neckbreaker before hot tagging his brother. Setting up another "Twist of Fate" try, Jeff was hit from behind by O'Ryan. Therefore, O'Ryan took the "Twist of Fate." Then came Jeff's swanton bomb off the top, but Matt had secretly tagged in and stole the pin. Post-match: The brother bickered and set up their "Full Metal Mayhem" match at TNA's "Slammiversary" PPV on Sunday, June 12th. Instead of shaking hands, Matt desired to connect with a "Twist of Fate," but Jeff surprised his sibling with the finisher himself. RATING: 2 stars
NOTES: The Highspots ring covered all of home plate with boards and canvassing jutting out. Ringside was not on the grass but on the dirt behind the batter's box and On-deck circles....A 15-minute intermission lasted 27 minutes....Wolverton mentioned that Booker T (Booker Huffman Jr.) would be signing autographs on Saturday, August 13th at L.P. Frans Stadium. Hickory's Crawdads face the Rome Braves that evening....Everett and Lee will have another opportunity, this time in Gibsonville, NC on Saturday, June 18th, to wrestle a little bit longer. The two X-Division stars will be competing for Lee's CWF Mid-Atlantic Heavyweight strap. Everett confessed the two were asked to go "8-9 minutes" and had no idea until afterward that they had cut it so short.... Atttitude married his long-time sweetheart Love during the week beginning May 1st in Las Vegas, NV....John Skyler and Corey Hollis originally were to have teamed against Lee and Everett but instead worked in Atlanta, GA for NXT.
ANALYSIS: When fans get to see their heroes/idols/favorites up close & personal, those are moments which are cherished. Asking wrestling fans to part with $20 (cheapest ticket) and summer is coming, well, Hickory Baseball Inc. was fortunate to have "that" many people. Whether rain or shine, there is money to be made. Meet & Greets, beer/food sales, parking....maybe wrestling is not that too far different from baseball after all. Can I have another beer or do you, by chance, sell umbrellas?
.png)
