Photo Courtesy of Harold Jay Taylor From Larry Goodman: Sal Rinauro's eternal quest for the PWA Heritage Championship came...
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| Photo Courtesy of Harold Jay Taylor |
Sal Rinauro's eternal quest for the PWA Heritage Championship came to a heart-warming conclusion at X. Rinauro was on the first PWA show 10 years ago but the big prize had eluded him until he ended Kevin Blue’s title reign at 365 days last night. On the Father's Day eve, Rinauro' son joined him in the ring as he was presented with the title, capping off a panoramic night of wrestling.
The Thunderdome of Terror lived up to its billing, as Shane Noles defeated Rick Michaels in a grisly, blood-drenched hardcore match.
Paid attendance at the VFW Fairgrounds was 376, making it the 10th consecutive year Peachstate has drawn over 300 people for their anniversary event.
It was long, hot night at the Fairgrounds. The lack of AC on a 90-degree day made for uncomfortable conditions. With a running time of 3 hours and 45 minutes, the show didn't end until 11:30. Those factors undoubtedly took a toll on a crowd that never caught fire the way Peachstate crowds are known to do.
In recent years, Peachstate has expanded its compact 5-6 match format for their anniversary events. It was nine match card this year. With the benefit of hindsight, I'm thinking they will wish they held a couple of those match back.
In true anniversary fashion, the blasts from the past kept coming all night long.
Storyline developments abounded, including one retirement and one unretirement. The creative department is positioned with rich territory to mine. The devil will be in the details of the mining.
The postmatch show of sportsmanship got a bigger response than the match.
(2) The Exotic Ones (Simon Sermon & Tommy Too Much with Dave Wills) defeated H8 Club (Stunt Marshall & Cameron Jackson) and Beautiful Bald Besties (Michael Stevens & Zac Edwards) and The Alliance (Romeo & CB Suave) in an elimination match to win the vacant PWA Tag Team Championship in 13:08. Wills made a surprise cameo as the Exotics manager. The Exotics and H8 Club started. Exotics worked over Jackson’ groinular region. H8 Club isolated Sermon, who pinned Jackson after Marshall inadvertently hit him with a gimmick. Besties came and went in a minute via a double pin. The crowd perked up when the Alliance entered by attacking the Exotics. Romeo and Suave has become an effective unit. Sermon took more heat. Suave used a trio of stalling suplexes and was pissed when his diving lariat didn’t get the job done. Tag made to Tommy and it was clotheslines on parade for the Alliance. Sermon hit the Manchester Driver on Suave but Romeo made the save on the illegal pin. Tommy clotheslined Romeo for the 1-2-3 making the Exotics twelve time tag team champions.
Tommy Too Much announced his retirement (as he had done at the Hall of Fame inductions held earlier in the day) and relinquished his tag title to Sermon. Tommy said after 23 years, his 45 year old body couldn’t do it anymore, He couldn’t perform at 100% and 99% wasn’t good enough.
I humbly thank you for eight years of love or hate, it was all the same…Thank you, I love you, and you will see me again but it will be in one of these chairs.
(3) AC Mack (with Commissioner Triston Michaels) defeated Ace Haven (with Amy Haven) to retain the PWA No Limits Championship and win the managerial services of Amy Haven in 6:24.Ace started beating the crap out of Mack as soon as the bell rang. Mack turned things his way with a flying knee off the apron and took Ace on a painful tour of the ringside area. Ace took some serious bumps that included being chucked off the stage into the corrugated metal wall. Amy grabbed Macks’ leg to give hubby the opening he needed. Ace had Mack pinned with the springboard roundhouse but Triston distracted referee Hall. Amy pulled Triston off the apron. Ace had Mack pinned again with a cutter but Triston pulled Hall out of the ring. Amy kicked Triston in the nuts for a big pop. However, Mack was able to hit the Mack 10 to pin Ace. Match was just what it needed to be.
Mack grabbed Amy by the hair and sent her to the back ahead of him. Crowd was giving Mack and Triston major grief on their way out.
(4) Dusty MacWilliams won the Throwback Battle Royal in 7:15. The other participants in order of elimination were P-Dogg, Jacs (debuting in a throwback match, go figure), Nigel Sherrod, Marvelous Marko, Johnny Rage, Chic Donovan, Mike Jackson and Ultimate Dragon (in great shape). P-Dogg cut a promo on Jackson saying he was so old people thought he might die and he needed to go over where he belonged and have a raffle. Yes, Jackson did an abbreviated version of the old school rope walk. MacWilliams won by knocking Dragon off the apron with an enzuigiri. The crowd clearly enjoyed seeing some of their old favorites back in action and they didn’t overstay their welcome.
Brooklyn Creed announced that she was not medically cleared to wrestle because a baby heathen was coming into the world in February 2019. Brooklyn’s opponent, PWA Women’s Champion Danielle Jeantet called her a liar. The crowd chanted for retired special referee Pandora. She shook her head no. Jeantet said I win, ring the bell. Brooklyn directed the crowd’s attention to Bambi at the gimmick table. Jeantet said that old lady was also retired, but she could have beaten her back in the day and if she wanted to wheel her wheelchair to the ring, she would beat her now. Bambi said she was 52 years old; she didn’t come to wrestle and didn’t have any gear BUT she could still kick Jeantet’s ass.
(5) Bambi defeated Danielle Jeantet via count out with special referee Pandora in 13:13. Jeantet retained the PWA Women’s Championship. Bambi looked pretty damn good in the ring for 52 years old. She outwrestled and outsmarted Jeantet. When Jeantet took her down by the hair, Bambi nipped up and pulled Jeantet’s hair. Bambi took a bump on a back elbow and Jeantet tossed her out of the ring. Bambi answered with stiff open hand chops, busted out a dropkick and planted Jeantet on her face for a near fall. Jeantet decided to call it quits.
Postmatch, Bambi gave the title to Pandora (who retired as PWA Women’s Champion). Pandora said her title was handed to Jeantet, so she would have to come back and fight her for it.
Intermission to set up the Thunderdome of Terror (cage with barbed wire on top filled with weapons supplied by the fans).
Prior to the match, ring announcer Jason Boyd directed Shane Noles’ attention to the video screen. AJ Styles appeared with a personalized message for Noles stating that a lot of what Noles said about Rick Michaels was true - he was older and he did make AJ’s gear but Noles was about to find out what he was in for….
(6) Shane Noles defeated Rick Michaels in the Thunderdome of Terror at 14:23. Rick was beating Shane’s ass with every weapon he could put his hands and there were plenty of choices. Noles kicked the cage door into the head of security guard Lou Lou. Crowd went silent as Rick left the ring to check on his buddy, who was dripping blood from a huge gash on his forehead. Noles capitalized on the respite with a low blow. They fought over the concession area. Shane was bleeding. Rick waffled Shane’s back with a steel chair. Back inside the ring, Rick used a thumbtack bat, a cheese grater and a Lightsaber. Shane’s face was covered in blood. Rick drove a baking pan into Shane’s groin with a 2X4. Shane busted a bottle over Rick’s head. Rick was bleeding like a stuck pig, his hair was died red from the blood. Shane’s turn to use the weapons. They climbed the ropes and used the barbed wired. Noles kicked out of the Double Shot. Rick kicked out after taking a piledriver. Noles gave Rick two more piledrivers and he was done.
Postmatch -- Noles was ready to nail Rick with a kendo stick but thought better of it. He said Rick proved something to him tonight. The Alliance joined Noles in the ring. Romeo picked up the kendo stick. Noles said there was no need. It was finished. They had bigger fish to fry. Romeo said the only Alliance member that wasn’t close to a PWA title was their fearless leader. Noles said he was now a title contender. Romeo wasn’t satisfied. He blasted Noles with the kendo stick. The Alliance left Rick and Noles laying in a heap. The crowd applauded as Rick helped Shane up. Rick headed to the back. Shane lingered in the ring in silence. The fans were not ready to accept Noles turning back to babyface, at least not yet, but they know he’s a tough SOB.
(7) Adam Priest defeated Alan Angels in 5:09 with a fishermanbuster. Their talent was evident. They were rushing. I would like to see this match again on a different spot where they were give more time to tell a story. Priest fought off Angels’ finisher (not that the fans knew that’s what it was) before hitting his.
(8) Cyrus the Destroyer defeated Logan Creed (with Brooklyn Creed) in 7:10. This was crazy. Two monsters in sprint match, hitting big moves right from the opening bell. Crowd was hugely behind Logan. He hit a shoulder block off the ropes for a near fall. Cyrus came back with the sick kick for a near fall and an avalanche overhead belly to belly. Cyrus fought off a goozle and chokeslammed Logan. They went for something off the ropes that didn’t work and crashed in a heap. Logan did his insane suicide dive. Logan tried for his finisher but couldn’t lock it in. Cyrus pinned Logan clean with the black hole slam. Cyrus looks to be in for a big push after beating one of Peachstate’s most popular and dominant stars.
(9) Sal Rinauro defeated Kevin Blue to win the PWA Heritage Championship in 15:15. Fast-paced from the get go with both men going for broke. Story was their willingness to do whatever it took including using the other guy’s signature moves. Blue hit Rinauro’s Jacob Time for barely a one count. Rinauro hulked up with a flurry offense. Blue kicked out a short flatliner. Rinauro kicked out of the Air Raid Crash. Blue grabbed the title and clocked Rinauro with it for the apparent DQ.
Commissioner Triston said he knew the fans wanted him to do the moral thing by not letting it end on a DQ but he had to because the fans treated him so poorly. Triston’s comrade and alleged Georgia Athletic Commission representative, Bill Behrens came to the ring. They hugged. Behrens said hell no and gave Triston a stunner before restarting the match. Crowd loved it.
Blue was beside himself when Rinauro kicked out of the uranage. Blue tried for another Air Raid Crash but Rinauro rolled through and superkicked him for a close near fall. Both men down. Back and forth inside cradles. Blue applied an STF. Rinauro reversed into a stretch muffler then switched to an ankle lock. Blue powered out. Rinauro connected with the bicycle kick. Both down again. Hockey fight. Blue with a Yakuza kick. Not to be denied, Rinauro hit two superkicks and pinned Blue with the short flatliner.
This was an intense title match with a great story that was unfortunately robbed of some of its power by the heat and sheer length of the show.
Rinauro’s son, Jacob joined him in the ring. An emotional Rinauro talked about the specialness of standing in a Peachstate ring as champion with his son on Father’s Day.
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