Action Wrestling Report from Tyrone on April 27

Fred Yehi and Cain Justice square off at the adjoining library pre-show From Larry Goodman: Action Wrestling definitely got off ...

Fred Yehi and Cain Justice square off at the adjoining library pre-show

From Larry Goodman:

Action Wrestling definitely got off on the right foot with their debut event at the Roger Spencer Community Center in Tyrone. 

The show received an awesome response from the crowd of 150-175, with many familiar faces from other places amongst them. They embraced the characters with gusto in the traditional manner.  

A positive vibe was in the air. The running time was a mere two hours and I guarantee you nobody felt shortchanged.

Four top-notch matches of differing styles were presented -- AC Mack vs. Joey Lynch, Billy Buck vs. Cam Carter, Fred Yehi vs. Cain Justice and Gunner Miller vs. Dominic Garrini. Details below.

I liked the venue, a compact space that adds to the intensity. It's a loud space minus without annoying echoes. Partial house lights provided a sufficient level of contrast to the ring. Seats on three sides and one set of bleachers with a stage on the 4th side for the announcers. No ringside barricades and not much room for dives.

Promoter Matt Griffin has assembled an outstanding support crew in ring announcer Scott Hensley, the announce team of Al Getz, video producer Grant Sawyer, Dylan Hales and Brad Stutts (for powerbomb.tv airing), referee Darryl Howe and Clint Stephens handling the gorilla position.

Griffin and Hensley glad handed their way to the ring. Griffin thanked the fans with a reminder it was all for the benefit of Make-A-Wish Georgia.

AC Mack got heat and entertained with his uber arrogant self-introduction. He made Hensley hold up three fingers to represent his titles – TWE Heavyweight, TWE Pure and Peachstate No LImits.

(1) Joey Lynch pinned AC Mack in 8:02. Crowd amped from the get go. Lynch owned Mack early. Mack kicked Lynch’s recently injured knee and worked it over. An intoxicated fan reached into the ring and grabbed Mack’s leg. Security did nada. Down the stretch – Lynch with a tornado DDT flowing into a falcon arrow for a close near fall. Mack with a Meteora for two. Neither man able to convert on their finisher. Lynch missed a moonsault. Mack went for the figure four and Lynch reversed with an inside cradle to get the pinfall. A perfect first impression - fast paced, high energy, crisp work and no way to be neutral about the situation. 

Mack claimed it was only a two count. Lynch said he was tired of Mack’s mouth and challenged him to find a partner for the return date of June 29.

(2) Arik Royal pinned Michael Spencer in 6:52. Royal got into it with Papa Hales on his way to the ring. Spencer was Mr. Intensity. Royal told him to take a chill pill and took his time while keeping up a running commentary. Royal made the catch on Spencer’s twisting crossbody and took control Spencer slipped coming off the ropes. Looked horrible but the ropes on this ring are a problem. Royal pulled the straps down and gently tackled Spencer for the 1-2-3. Royal was getting all kinds of heat. Not much of a match. Spencer has personality but is no great shakes in the ring.

(3) Adrian Hawkins defeated James Bandy and Ethan A Sharpe and Donnie Dollars in 6:12. The CWF Mid-Atlantic heels (Dollars and Sharpe) made a pact to work together. Sharpe is a comedy guy. The other combatants played ping pong with his face. Dollars went to work on Hawkins and Bandy.  Dollars and Sharpe argued leading to tandem roll ups. Hawkins escaped Dollars' pumphandle maneuver and rolled him up for the win. Well done finish to a decent match. Establishing a clear heel/face dynamic was a big plus. Hawkins clearly has a future here and Bandy helped his cause.

(4) Billy Buck (with Kevin Blue & Chris Spectra) pinned Cam Carter in 10:51. Crowd hated Buck and loved Carter right off. Carter dominated the opening minutes with his acrobatics. Buck posted Carter’s shoulder threw him to the wolves at ringside. It devolved into a three on one with tremendous heat. Buck worked on Carter’s should and hit a great dropkick cut off. Crowd chanted for a comeback and got more athletic flying by Carter. His springboard 450 was perfection and had fans jumping out of their seats when Buck kicked out. Referee Hall got decked. Spectra and Blue both tried to interfere but Carter fend them off and went for a 450 that missed. Buck nailed Carter with the Buckshot. Best of show for emotional reaction. Carter did a lot of flippy flying stuff. He's young and uneven. End of day, it mattered not against Buck.

Blue thanked Griffin for booking Team TAG so they could run his show like they do every show in Georgia BUT it was a travesty that only one of them was in action. Griffin rejected Blue's demand for a match. Blue said they weren't leaving. A physically underwhelming security team entered the ring. Instead of dishing out an ass kicking, Team TAG left without a fight.

Intermission

(5) Matt Sells vs. Big Bite Martinez was 3 minute no contest due to interference by Team TAG (Blue, Spectra and Buck). Martinez is a scrawny black guy in a white mask. Sells hit the Rick Michaels’ double shot and out came Team TAG to lay them both to waste.

Enter promoter Griffin to chants of “Matt”. He had something for Blue and Spectra on June 29. The crowd wanted it now. This segment made up for the lousy postmatch thing.

(6) Fred Yehi defeated Cain Justice by submission in 14:22. I feared this match would be too similar in style to the main. Fear not. Pure grappling to open with Yehi in control. Justice escaped a quick Koji Clutch attempt and rolled out. Yehi stayed on the attack – stomps, Judo throw, chop, high impact moves and a release german. Justice to the outside again and we had a full scale brawl all around the arena. Justice did something nasty to Yehi’s wrist with the ringpost and planted him on the ring frame. Justice went to joint manipulation. Yehi fired up the strikes and hit 20, count ‘em, 20 consecutive Muay Thai knees, then a fisherman suplex for a near fall. Justice caught Yehi with a triangle. Yehi put Justice’s shoulders on the mat to force a break. Justice went back to the triangle and Yehi powerbombed his way out of it. A fast and furious exchange of strikes ensued. Justice went for a running knee  and Yehi caught him with the Koji Clutch. Great stuff from Yehi. I marveled at the variety of styles and different types of chops in his moveset and Justice was able to hang with him.

Justice rejected Yehi’s handshake after the match.

(7) Gunner Miller pinned Dominic Garrini in 10:24. Big pop for Gunner’s entrance but he turned the crowd against him with his surly attitude once the bell rang. Garrini’ was over big owing to his heart and tenacity. Milller had his hands full with Garrini’s submissions. Miller was taking TOs and going to the ropes. The inevitable happened. Miller turned a flying armbar into an overhead belly to belly suplex and asserted himself with the power game. Garrini back with a vengeance – jumping knee strike, jumping double knees and a trio of german suplexes but Miller kicked out. They traded strikes with Garrini getting the better of it until Miller planted him with a power slam. Miller launched Garrini halfway to Peachtree City with a CTE. Garrini countered the Jackhammer with a cool combo ending with a short piledriver but Miller got a foot on the ropes. Garrini applied a guillotine choke. After a titanic struggle, Miller broke the hold with the Jackhammer for the pin. Great work by both competitors. Another amazing performance from Miller and Garrini doesn't need to win to be over. The contrast of styles made for a fascinating match.

NOTES: Gunner Miller is signed for the June 29, which also has Aja Perera vs. Arc Williams and the afore mentioned Team TAG vs. ? and Lynch & ? vs. Mack & ?...The timekeeper was Danny Danger ably assisted by his AWE broadcast partner Mika Vilas. Alex Arias was in the house making sure I noted every move…The ring was provided by Southern Fried Championship Wrestling with Tommy Allan Lee and Scottie Harvey as the ring crew.