From Larry Goodman: The path to paradise begins in hell. --Dante Alighieri Hardcore Hell XX was true to the spirit of its...
The path to paradise begins in hell.
--Dante Alighieri
Hardcore Hell XX was true to the spirit of its storied history -- twenty consecutive years in the dilapidated Old Mud Creek School Gym where AJ Styles cut his teeth as a pro wrestler -- and thriving.
Logan Creed defeated Gunner Miller to win the Anarchy Triple Crown Championship in a thrilling, ultra-violent main event that has to be among the top five matches in the building's history, perhaps best ever between two men of their size.
The heels were pitching a shutout going into the main event in a place where traditional roles still rule. Logan overcame everything the Miller could throw at him to win the title and send the fans home happy.
Billy Buck regained the Heritage title from Kyle Matthews in a 30 minute Ironman. The technical wrestling was top tier but there would be no "these two guys" chants. This was a heated rivalry.
The Cornelia fans' abnormal lust for blood and weapons was satisfied in the Anarchy Rulz match. Brad Cash and Jacob Ashworth put on a demented hardcore classic, rooted in a sick and twisted relationship.
The night would not have been complete without a touch of nostalgia, and we got it in the tag team turmoil match. Team TAG regained the titles in controversial fashion to set up the final confrontation with The Approved inside a steel cage.
Hardcore Hell XX drew the first turn away crowd in Landmark Arena history -- over 300 for the top grossing gate ever at 5K+. And that with fairly minimal social media and postering.
It was the first show at Landmark to steam live on the internet (via powerbomb.tv).
Kudos to everyone involved at Anarchy. A brand to be proud of has been built. The professionalism of the presentation and the constant upgrades to the facility under Rick Michaels have transformed the live experience. Dan Wilson's booking has been in the zone. Everything he touches turns to gold.
The talent goes all out, every time out, at times to the detriment of their health.
The talent goes all out, every time out, at times to the detriment of their health.
Pre-show: Anarchy’s inaugural Hall of Fame honors – David Young was inducted by Bill Behrens with David’s son, Chris accepting on his behalf. Steve Martin inducted by Rick Michaels. Azrael by Dan Wilson.
Ring announcer Jason Boyd opened in his Sunday best. Crowd was chanting “Anarchy” and raising their homemade weapons as the show went live on powerbomb.tv.
The wrestler’s entrance has been returned to its original position with a significant upgrade in design. The broadcast team of John Johnson and Steven Martin are now at a ringside table where they belong.
(1) Billy Buck defeated “The Nightmare” Kyle Matthews in a 30 minutes ironman match 4-3 to regain the Landmark Heritage Championship. Crowd was insanely hot from the get go. They had a countdown clock on the big screen. Matthews was the hunter and Buck was the hunted. Matthews countered the Buckshot with superkick of his own and won the first fall with the Slurpee Kick at 8:29. Team TAG (Kevin Blue & Chris Spectra) attacked Matthews and did a number on his leg with a steel chair. The DQ put Matthew up 2-0. Team TAG was ejected but the damage was done. Matthews submitted to the figure four at 11:29. Buck pinned Matthews with a piledriver at the 13 minute mark and immediately pinned him again to go up 3-2. Matthews got nailed by a second Buckshot to put Buck up 4-2 at 14:02. Buck removed the Nightmare’s mask, symbolizing Matthews impending retirement in August. The story became Matthews fighting up from the bottom lacking full power as his leg strength was badly compromised. Matthews got a “that was awesome” chant for a beautiful tornado DDT. Past the 20 minute mark, the match was turning into grueling war of attrition. Matthews hit a frogsplash to Buck’s back and another to his gut to pull within one fall with 5 minutes to go. Both men took a spectacular spill over the top rope as they jockeyed for position on a vertical suplex. Back inside, both men were down with the crowd chanting “Nightmare”. Matthews connected with a superkick for a close near fall. Buck evaded the Slurpee Kick and applied a figure four. Buck was imploring Matthew to tap. Matthews reversed it but Buck was able to hang until the time limit expired. This was a great technical match with the heel/face roles staying firmly in place. Aspiring wrestlers should check out Matthews' selling of the leg. It was textbook stuff. Over the past year, Buck has amazed me with his versatility and ability to have great matches with all kinds of opponents and some of his best work has come against Matthews.
(2) Geter defeated Ike Cross in 8:37. Cross was over like crazy. What else is new? Cross got incredible height on a tope con hilo. Geter used an explosive release german suplex. Cross twice put Geter down with great looking spears. As Cross was perched on the top rope for his finisher, a brief blip of music played. Only the most diehard fans recognized it as belonging to Ike’s NCW rival King Heru. Cross hesitated before hitting the top rope splash. Geter kicked out, countered a third spear attempt and pinned Cross with Fall of Man (over the shoulder reverse piledriver). Match was fine until the finish. I hated to see a babyface get distracted by music, and Geter kicking out after two spears and a splash did Cross no favors.
John Johnson introduced “The Peruvian Pitbull” Xander Ramon, who makes his Anarchy debut on April 28. Dressed in a suit, Ramon said he was humbled to make it to Anarchy after only one year of experience. This segment went over well enough, although I suspect it would have worked better to let Ramon’s wrestling do the talking. He doesn’t look as impressive in street clothes and at this stage, he’s got a lot more charisma in the ring than on the mic. Plus, the interviewer should have been a small person which Johnson is not.
(3) Brad Cash (with Dany Only & Crystal Rose) defeated Jacob Ashworth in an Anarchy Rulz (fans bring the weapons) match in 11:58. Crowd was so psyched for this match it was scary. Ashworth sliced Cash’s forehead and arm open with a small sickle. The crimson flowed from both wounds. Ashworth was a man on a mission. Only jumped in to shield Cash allowing Rose to jump on Ashworth’s back. Only slugged Ashworth with horseshoe. Cash used his pet screwdriver and Ashworth was also bleeding all over the place. Creative weaponry from the fans was brought into a play – a bat with a saw blade screwed on top and a plunger with nails. A guy had a Taser and the crowd didn’t care who was on the receiving end, they just wanted to see it used. Cash was the unlucky recipient. He legit got Tased for the pop of the match. Ashworth won a chair vs. baseball bat battle with Only. The Cult ran for their lives. Cash diverted Ashworth and Only capitalized with a low blow. Crystal proceeded to kick the shit out of him. Cash tased Ashworth and spilled a bag of tacks on the mat. Ashworth reversed Cash with a full nelson face plant into the tacks. Crystal broke up the pin. Only threw a fireball in Ashworth’s face and Cash pinned him after a clothesline into the tacks. Match lived up to its predecessors and that’s saying something.
Ashworth left with a towel over his head to soak up the blood and the crowd chanting his name.
(4) Anarchy Women’s Champion Brooklyn Creed retained the title vs. Sheena Roxanne Layne fka Rock C via a double count out at 7:26. Lane turned at the go home show and has a new name to go with the nasty persona. Referee Dee Byers found a chain on Lane before the match. The match was going OK until miscommunication on a powerbomb spot. Brooklyn landed on her neck. The impact looked horrific. This was a no fault accident. The fans knew she was hurt legit. Brooklyn was momentarily knocked out but still gutted it out to do the planned finish.
As security tended to Brooklyn, Lane demanded a rematch and said Brooklyn better bring her A game next time. Given the circumstances, Lane came across as the worst person in the world.
(5) Team TAG (Kevin Blue & Chris Spectra) defeated Cult of Cash (Dany Only & Crystal Rose) and Northern Lights (Dynamic Dexter) and Rick Michaels & Todd Sexton and The Approved (Bobby Moore & Adrian Hawkins) in a tag turmoil match to regain the Anarchy Tag Team Championships.
Northern Lights defeated Cult of Cash via DQ in a 1:39. Quick and total destruction. Only pinned Dexter with a reverse piledriver, then gave him a package piledriver and continued to beat on him for the DQ.
Team TAG defeated Northern Lights in a minute. Dexter was in no condition to participate. Frost fell for Spectra’s fake gesture of friendship and got pinned with a suplex.
Team TAG defeated Michaels & Sexton in 5:53. The insertion of Michaels and Sexton was a late audible. Huge pop for their intro and another massive pop and a “you still got it” chant when they cleared the ring. Michaels had Blue pinned after a combo finisher but Spectra coldcocked him with his nunchukas and turned the pile whilst referee Darryl Hall was getting Sexton out of the ring.
Team TAG defeated Approved in 7:05. The crowd, hot throughout, went to another decibel level when these teams hooked up. Approved have gone from hated to loved like few other acts in Anarchy history. This was great stuff - two teams with awesome chemistry at the top of their games. Buck interfered with the Buckshot on Hawkins. Hawkins kicked out for a killer false finish and Hall ejected Buck. All kinds of double team moves and close calls. Buck tried it again but was stopped by security. In the ensuing chaos, Blue gave Hawkins a low blow behind the ref’s back to secure the win.
Wilson said he saw what happened. He couldn’t overturn the decision but he could and would make a match to settle it once and for all - Team TAG vs. Approved inside a steel cage, loser leaves Anarchy on April 28.
Corey Hollis came out with Brady Pierce and challenged Slim J to a fight.He got AJ Gray instead. Gray was butt hurt about Hollis replacing him with Sal Rinauro last time. Hollis told Gray he had a long way to go before he figured out how the business worked. He assured Gray he had no worries and Sal was just a nostalgia act. That brought Rinauro out to lecture Hollis on his credentials. “Since I’ve got gear and you look homeless like always, let me show you I still got it.” Hollis, Pierce and Gray attacked Rinauro 3 on 1. Seth Delay and Slim J made the save.
Fans chanted 3 on 3 and they got it...kinda…Slim J hit a dive on Hollis and they brawled to the back.
(6) Seth Delay & Sal Rinauro & Slim J defeated Corey Hollis & Brady Pierce & AJ Gray via DQ in 9:38. The action was fine but the crowd cooled off significantly without the presence of Hollis and Slim. The fans got what they wanted as Hollis and Slim returned to take the hot tags. Hollis immediately gave Slim a low blow and was DQed by referee David Weakley.
Postmatch, Hollis put a chair around Slim’s neck and jumped off the ropes to stomp on the chair. Slim was carried out by security. Per Wilson, Hollis received an indefinite suspension.
(7) Logan Creed defeated Gunner Miller via submission in a no DQ match to win the Anarchy Heavyweight Championship in 23:32. Crowd was back to being on fire. No love lost here. They were pounding away with stiff shots right from the opening bell. The action spilled to ringside via Logan tossing Miller out by his neck. Rails, chairs and tables brought into play. Logan teased suplexing Miller over the top onto a table. Miller speared Logan but got caught in the modified gogoplata (Hell’s Gate). Miller slid out to safety. Dueling chants. Logan hit an avalanche fallaway slam. Logan got hung up on the top rope and Miller speared him off the apron into the rail. Back inside, Miller hit the Jackhammer but Logan kicked out with authority. Miller cracked Logan in the skull with a chair. A second chairshot to the head and Logan was not getting his hands up to block. Miller beat Logan to death with chairshots to the back, at least a dozen of them. This is nuts. Chants all for Logan now. Miller delivered a third brain cell killing chairshot to the head. Logan was wearing the crimson mask. Security and refs rushed to the ring with fans calling for referee Triston Michaels to ring the bell. Logan refused to quit. Miller speared him again and gave him another jackhammer and Logan kicked out. Miller charged with another spear and Logan caught him with chokebreaker. Logan powerbombed Miller off the apron through a ringside table. Looked like Logan got the worst of it protecting Miller. Chants of “this is awesome” and “Hardcore Hell” rang out from the bloodthirsty savages. The warriors slowly rose to their feet on opposite sides of the ring glaring at each other. Simultaneous punches connected and both were down again. Miller kicked out of Logan's full nelson faceplant and out came Geter. He held Logan for another chair shot from Miller, but Geter took the shot when Logan ducked and did a Nestea plunge through a ringside table. Logan gave Miller a taste of his own medicine with a spear and a Jackhammer. The fans were losing their mind when Miller kicked out. Logan was being blinded by the blood and had to wipe his eyes to see. He propped a table in the corner and use his blood to mark an X on the table. But Miller escaped and speared Logan through the table. Miller hit another Jackhammer. Logan kicked out to insane pop and locked in the gogoplata. Miller tried to power out but was fading fast and had to tap.
Anarchy paid off a captivating story with an incredible match. Miller and Logan have had one great match after another but this was something special: Two talented physical specimens taking it to the limit and beyond in front of a sold out crowd going crazy. What more can you ask?
.jpg)
.jpg)
