Photos coutesy of Lottie Pace From Larry Goodman: “Kaboom!” was a solid show from a lineup down in starpower from SFCW’s last tw...
From Larry Goodman:
“Kaboom!” was a solid show from a lineup down in starpower from SFCW’s last two events.
Tetchi Makuji continues to demonstrate his worth as SFCW Heavyweight Champion. The dude is one tough SOB and his match with former champion Stryknyn was a war.
Lynch Mob got over like gangbusters in their SFCW debut and had another top flight match with Rave Approved.
The surprise highlight of the night was the main event between Geter and Tank. The match was the short, violent confrontation it needed to be. It was the postmatch, though, that made my night, as the fans gave a moving tribute to a wrestler many of them barely knew.
It was a night not without backstage challenges for booker Todd Sexton. Late arrivals by talent related to traffic and double shots resulted in some tense moments and last minute adjustments, but in front of the curtain, things ran smoothly, everything except the sound system, which is a chronic problem that needs to be addressed. The running time was two and half hours. .
At 150, attendance at Nowell Rec Center was not good by SFCW’s past standards, but they appear to righting the ship after a lousy start to 2017.
Owner Charles Anschutz had to cancel their first event of the year due to the snowstorm. Their second event was scheduled for Tannery Row Ale House in Buford on a Sunday. Their run of bad luck continued, as the venue pulled out and they ended running at Nowell Rec against the NFL divisional playoffs games.
Sexton kicked things off with the announcement that Odinson was close to being medically cleared and his first match back would be with the man that put him out -- Phase One Champion Jimmy Rave. Sexton called Damien Bennett out to praise his performance in a losing effort against Rave two weeks ago. Bennett was talking about his disappointment at not winning when BrIan Kane interrupted to say he was disappointed about not getting a shot at the title. Sexton said Kane and Bennett were scheduled for a match later in the evening, but we might as well do it now.
(1) Damien Bennett defeated Brian Kane in 6:08. This was a clean, competitive, old style opener that established the credibility of the wrestling.
Crowd was quiet but attentive. Bennett used a spinning toe hold early. Kane was the more aggressive of the two. Two big misses built to the finish, Kane missing with a swanton and Bennett coming up empty on his frogsplash. Kane got a near fall with a Sky High powerbomb and went for a sunset flip off the ropes, but Bennett slipped away and rolled Kane up for the 1-2-3.
The boobirds were out for Kane when he initially refused Bennett’s handshake. Kane had a change of heart leading to a warm and fuzzy conclusion.
(2) Rave Approved (Bobby Moore & Adrian Hawkins) defeated Lynch Mob (Joey & Matt Lynch) to retain the SFCW tag titles in 18:29. Crowd took to Lynch Mob immediately. Hawkins couldn’t cope with Joey’s offense and resorted to two early timeouts. Moore got the worst of it. Lynch Mob used quick tags and double teams to do a number on him. Hawkins interfered at the seven minute mark to set up heat on Matt. Hawkins got a near fall with a Russian leg sweep floatover ala Brad Armstrong. Referee Kyle Carver disallowed a legit tag because he didn't see it. Joey was a house of fire once the official tag was made. Lynch Mob hit a GTS enzuigiri/german suplex combo on Hawkins that forced Moore to make a save. Twists and turns ended in carnage with all four men down. Lynch Mob hit their frogsplash/double jump moonsault finisher on Hawkins for an apparent title change. The crowd popped. As the celebration ensued. Moore put Hawkins foot on the rope and brought it to the attention of referee Carver, who waved off the decision and restarted the match. Approved jumped the unsuspecting Lynch Mob from behind. Hawkins pinned Matt after a discus forearm/german suplex combo. This was well done for a match with so many moving parts. Both teams work like well-oiled machines and have great chemistry as opponents.
The crowd chanted “bullshit”. Who could blame them? They had to stomach a ref who disallowed a tag he did not see but was willing to buy a foot on the ropes he did not see.
Francisco Ciatso said the last time the people saw him, he was zipped up in a body bag, but Jagged Edge should have killed him. Ciatso said only one of them would walk out and threatened to tie Jagged to the back of his car and drag him through the streets of Monroe -- tough talk that sparked a chant for Jagged.
(3) Jagged Edge defeated Francisco Ciatso (with Stormie Lee) to retain the AIWF Americas Championship in 7:27. The crowd was still harboring ill will towards referee Carver. Ciatso ordered Carver to tell Apollo Creed to open up his hands. Ciatso tried to cheat on the break and got chopped to death. Lee gave Ciatso the help he needed to get the upper hand. Ciasto missed the middle rope splash that never seems to connect. After Jagged decked Ciatso with a flying shoulder block, Lee jumped on the apron to protest. Jagged grabbed her by the hair. Ciatso put on the brake to avoid colliding with Lee. Jagged then superkicked Ciatso for the pin. Although not the violent confrontation Ciatso led us to believe it would be, the match served its purpose and had heat. Its storyline reason for being was that Ciatso never got his rematch after dropping the title to Jagged.
Jagged said that was the last time the AIWF Americas Championship would be defended in an SFCW ring because the SFCW Championship was the only belt that mattered, and his man Stryknyn was going for the gold later in the evening.
(4) Tetchi Makuji (with Dr. Joseph Brock) defeated Stryknyn to retain the SFCW Heavyweight Championship in 8:56. Makuji attacked Stryk before he entered the ring. This was brutal stuff with neither man selling much at the beginning. Makuji gave Stryk a scary snap suplex on the floor. Stryk hit an elbow drop off the bleachers. Makuji was unfazed by a chairshot the head and locked in a Tongan death grip. Makuji posted Stryk’s shoulder multiple times and wrapped it around the ringpost.
By the time the bell rang, Stryk was a one-armed man. Makuji applied a shoulder lock in apparent attempt to rip Stryk’s shoulder out of its socket. Makuji slowly ascended to the top turnbuckle and was on the receiving end of a slam off the top. That’s one huge man to take that move. Stryk had Makuji pinned after hitting the F5 but Brock put Makuji’s foot on the bottom rope. Referee Carver saw the foot but didn’t see Brock put it there. Jagged Edge came to ringside to check Brock. Stryk speared Makuji and crawled to make the cover. Makuji kicked out. Stryk got Makuji up for another F5. Brock jumped on the apron but Jagged was there to stop the shenanigans. Makuji knocked Stryk into Jagged and took his head off with a lariat to retain. Hell of a match, intense and super stiff. Makuji has made a believer out of me. He belongs in the
top tier of big men in the state.
Postmatch, Stryknyn was hot at Jagged and ended up walking away from him in a huff, so perhaps something is cooking for the future.
Sexton congratulated Makuji on adding Stryknyn to a list of victims that includes Cody Hall, Drew Adler and Mikael Judas. Sexton noted that Judas lost due to outside interference so he was granting him another shot at Makuji on April 1 INSIDE A STEEL CAGE. Brock pouted.
(5) Stormie Lee (with Francisco Ciatso) defeated Fantasy in 4:23. Brock came out before the bell to say he was bringing in an entrant to the women’s division in April. Fantasy is no spring chicken and evidently not the sharpest babyface knife in the drawer. Lee attacked before the bell when Fantasy turned her back to play to the crowd. Lee worked over Fantasy’s leg. Fantasy applied a Boston Crab but her leg gave way. Lee bailed. Fantasy dimly chased after her and got cut off on the reentry. Lee pinned Fantasy with the same inverted stunner Ciatso uses. Not much to it. Fantasy sold large, which was the key ingredient here.
The fans were incensed when big bad Frankie shoved Fantasy down after the match.
(6) Geter defeated Tank in 4:23. Tank got a mild positive reaction. Mixed reaction for Geter. As soon as Geter got in the ring, Tank started blasting away. He hurt his hand punching Geter’s head and got shaken up trying to headbutt him. Geter sent Tank down with a headbutt and it was Geter’s turn to dish it out. Tank kicked Geter low and worked him over in the corner. Geter again played turnabout. They traded Kobashi chops in the corner then heavy blows mid-ring. Tank’s spinning backfist dropped Geter to one knee. A boot to the face put Geter down for a two count. Geter’s leaping 400 pound splash spelled doom for Tank. Crowd was dead silent for the finish. Stunned by the quick ending I’m guessing. I really enjoyed this match. A fast and furious few minutes was the credible way to go with two big monsters throwing bombs.
Geter raised Tank’s hand. Tank went to one knee to shake Geter’s hand. The applause from the crowd began to swell. Jagged came out to shake Tank’s hand. Crowd was loving it when Moore, Hawkins and Ciatso attacked them. Lynch Mob came to rescue.
With “Another One Bites the Dust” as background music, Tank hit consecutive cannonballs on all three heels, garnering the pop of the night. Babyface hugs and hands raised all around...
Sexton said Tank was retiring in August after 21 years but he wanted to come to SFCW at least one time. Tank humbly thanked the fans for supporting independent wrestling and making it possible for the wrestlers to do what they do. The fans chanted Tank’s name to close the show.
