Ric Flair and Beautiful Bald Besties From Larry Goodman: Dragon Con Wrestling was back, bigger, better and bolder than ever. W...
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| Ric Flair and Beautiful Bald Besties |
From Larry Goodman:
Dragon Con Wrestling was back, bigger, better and bolder than ever.
Wrestlers from around the state and beyond came to be a part of the magic. The backstage area was a beehive of activity where Slim J and DCW originator AJ had assembled a crew of at least 80 wrestlers.
Close to 2000 people were in attendance at the Atlanta Hyatt Centennial Ballroom. They had a rollicking good time all night long. Unlike previous Dragon Con shows, this one never dragged or lost momentum. In the past, convention goers have tended to filter in and out of the room with the crowd shrinking as the night progressed. There was much less coming and going this year.
On a personal level, it was the best experience I’ve had at a Dragon Con show. The show itself was a grand entertainment. More so, it was a treat to rub elbows with so many wrestlers I know and like in one place, and to see them having fun working in front of a such a large and fervent crowd.
The running time, including the hall of fame inductions and nine matches, was just two and half hours, Matches were kept short in line with the attention span of the DCW audience. It was the shortest Dragon Con show in the event’s 17 year history. The directorial prowess of one Rick Michaels had something to do with that.
The hall of fame ceremony was one of the highlights. Ric Flair, Sting and LIta were all honored. The wrestlers also honored them with tribute spots during their matches.
Match quality per se, is never of prime importance at Dragon Con. The crowd wants constant excitement, spectacular moments and plenty of laughs. This year’s show delivered huge on all counts.
Among the pro wrestler cosplayer s spotted in the crowd were Brother Love, Kane, Naito, Roddy Piper, several Flairs, Sting and Ultimate Warrior. The award for originality had to go to Ninotchka from GLOW.
The annual DCW Hall of Fame inductions opened the show with AJ as the emcee. Xavier Woods was also on hand for the ceremony. Scotty Beach was inducted by Iceberg. Mikal Mosley’s sister, Ebony was inducted by Mikal. Lita was inducted by Crystal Rose. Lita mentioned her time living in Atlanta. Sting was inducted by Slim J. Sting said it was great to be there with “Naitch” and also referenced living in the Atlanta area during his WCW years. Flair got the loudest crowd response. He was honored with a lifetime achievement award. Flair joked about all the liquor he consumed in Atlanta. Her put Sting over as being a no BS real deal guy and said Sting was arguably his favorite opponent.
The reaction to the legends was off the charts and they all seemed genuinely touched and happy to be there.
(1) Ethan Case defeated James Drake and Brian Blaze and Drew Adler and Amazing Darkstone in a scramble match. A spotfest like this one is a proven winner as an opening match. They did a takeoff on Infinity Wars that got over like gangbusters. Darkstone donned the gauntlet and snapped his fingers causing wrestlers to drop like they were dead. Drake got heat for attempting a big man moonsault. That finisher is the exclusive property of Manchild at Dragon Con. It missed and Case pinned Drake with a springboard stunner.
(2) Joe Black (with Papa Marko) defeated Fry Daddy. I’d call this a tie with Lynch/Suave for technical quality. The crowd hated on Black. Fry got over well in his first DCW appearance. Black pinned Fry after a wicked clothesline.
(3) Manchild & Scotty Beach defeated Mosley & Forest Gump (played by Billy Brash) and Beautiful Bald Besties (Michael Stevens & Zac Edwards). The DCW fans found this match to be massively funny and entertaining. Besties started to strip. Thank god that got stopped. Brash was terrific as Gump. He was all in and crowd loved him for it. Who would have thought Gump would be the most over character that at a Dragon Con show? Captain Planet came out and cleaned house. Gump had to run to the back to take an emergency piss. Manchild pinned Gump with his signature moonsault.
(4) Crystal Rose pinned Simon Sermon (with Daffney) to retain the DCW Ladies Cup. Sermon stepped into this slot when Crystal’s scheduled opponent, Nina Monet couldn’t make it. Sermon was dressed as Harry Potter. He did the Flair flip bump into the corner and took the Flair slam off the top. The ref got bumped. Daffney tried to clock Rose and hit Sermon by mistake to set up the pin.
(5) Washington Bullets (Jon & Trey Williams) defeated The Approved (Adrian Hawkins & Bobby Moore) to win the DCW Tag Team Cup. Good match. Trey’s aerial moves were over as big as ever. A screw up by Approved led to the Marion Barry on Hawkins, who was pinned by Jon.
(6) Iceberg & Tyson Dean (with Reverend Wilson & Hannah) defeated Murder One & Chip Day. Berg pinned Day after assisting Dean with on an elevated spinning neckbreaker.
Postmatch, all four met midring for a “too sweet” hand gesture and unity huddle.
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| Tyson Dean, Fry Daddy and Icebeg |
(7) Shawn Michaels (played by CB Suave) with Sherri Martel (played by Meagan Bond) defeated Joey Lynch. Suave does a different legend every year. He called for and hit the top rope elbow. This did back and forth near falls that the crowd bought into. Shawn kicked out of a Lynch’s moonsault. Shawn caught Lynch in midair with the Sweet Chin Music as he tried for another moonsault.
(8) Mikael Judas defeated Logan Creed and champion Billy Buck to win the DCW Dragon Cup. They mixed in tributes to Flair, Sting and Lita. Creed did one of his insane suicide dives. Judas pinned Creed with a spectacular El Crucifijo (crucifix powerbomb). Since Judas was going over, it was the only right finish to do and Creed, of course, was game for taking the bump.
(9) Azrael won a battle royal to become the number one contender for the DCW Dragon Cup. This march was complete insanity. Crowd was going nuts the entire time. I’m not sure who was having more fun, the wrestlers or the fans. There were at least 25 guys in the ring to start and more kept coming. Probably ended up with at least 50. There was no way to cram all the wrestlers in the ring at once. I have no clue about the names of some of them. Guys were fighting all over the place. Participants included AC Mack, Marko, Matt Griffin, Brad Cash, Rey Fury, Matt Gilbert, Wolverton, Kevin Blue, Prince Apollo, Quasi Mandisco, Ashton Starr, Shawn Sims, Malaki Mathews, Josh Storm, Cameron Jackson, Stunt Marshall, Hoax (as Randy Savage), Jacoby Boykins, Ryan Rembrandt, Drew Game, David Ali, Nemesis, Mr. Hughes, Fry, Darkstone, Dominique Stuckey, and Seth Delay. There was actually some honest to God great action once it got down to the final four of Slim J, Se7en, Styrknyn and Azrael. Slim and Azrael dusted off one of the Lost Boys signature moves. Azrael did handspring Superman punch. Se7en did a People’s Elbow. In the end, Azrael pulled the ropes down to dump Se7en for the win.
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| Mikael Judas, Matt Griffin and Brad Cash |
NOTES: He lives! Contrary to reports of his demise, former GCW booker Quentin Michaels is alive and well and was visiting backstage…Among the other wrestling notables in the house were Kiera Hogan, Owen Knight, Black Baron, Jonathan Malick, Mason and Jonathan Williams. The referees were Darryl Hall, Dee Byers, David Weakley and Triston Michaels.
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