Photo courtesy of Troy Ridings From Rob Brodhecker:: The Presidential visit to Atlanta on Friday during rush hour might do what no...
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| Photo courtesy of Troy Ridings |
The Presidential visit to Atlanta on Friday during rush hour might do what nothing else has done before, which is to lower the crowd count at the Action Building. The crowd here is notoriously late arriving, to begin with, so we will have to see how the crowd fills in as the show progresses. <> Gary Lamb posted 417 online, the door lady told me 430. Several people who did attend were in traffic for up to 3 hours or longer.
Brandon Benefield and Gerald Bonner on commentary, with Diana Michel as your ring announcer. Todd Fox and Jeremie Prater are your referees.
Brandon Benefield and Gerald Bonner on commentary, with Diana Michel as your ring announcer. Todd Fox and Jeremie Prater are your referees.
Silas Mason vs. Logan Creed
Mason can look Creed in the eye. Creed got a good pop from the crowd. Some heavy blows from both men. One such strike sends Mason out to the floor. Logan goes to dive through the middle rope, Mason punches him, and Logan falls to the floor, his feet catching the middle rope and it breaks! They fight out on the floor, Logan plants Mason on the apron and then he dives through the two remaining ropes. They fight some more and barely make it back before the 10 count. Mason punches Creed, and then leg drops him for a near fall. Logan fires back and gets a near fall on his own. They do a good job fighting in the turnbuckles. Mason shoves logan off, and Mason leaps from the top turnbuckle to the middle of the top rope for a moonsault on Creed for a near fall. Creed fights back and lands the Scorched Earth on Mason at 12:23 to win the match. The two big guys shake hands and give each other some respect. Hard-hitting action all around, B-.
Props to the ring crew for quickly fixing the rope.
Gary Lamb Promo
He works the crowd a bit, teasing firing Todd Fox. He addressed the President's visit and said that he Tweeted Trump, to see if he could stop by, he hasn't gotten a reply. He talks about handling all sorts of critics, including the Twitter ones, concerning the upcoming Southern Cup Invitational. He announces that Brian Pillman Jr. will be in the field for SHW's SCI. The crowd popped for that. Gunner Miller's music plays, and he makes his way to the ring. The crowd is raining down the hate on him, and some chants break out.
Miller says that he will win the Southern Cup Invitational but has one request: In the first round on the first night, he wants Logan Creed. Gary downplays that because that's a money match, and that he's not even sure, Logan's going to be in the tourney. Lamb makes a match for the April show of Logan Creed vs. William Huckaby, if Logan wins, he's in the SCI, but he's not going to promise, Gunner that he will face Logan then. Lamb walks out, leaving Gunner in the ring. Gunner talks about the Logan/Huck match, and one of the stage crew comes out to get Gunner out of the ring. This isn't going to end well for someone, and it won't be Gunner. A spear and a jackhammer later, Gunner stomps his way to the back.
William Huckaby vs. Devan Dixon
Waffle House chants about for Huck. The second match, the second slobber knocker. A body slam by Dixon sends Huck out of the ring. An eye poke by Huck evens the score. Dixon and Huck are trading some big-time blows. Huck takes over on the action via some questionable actions. Dixon on the comeback, planting Huck with a DDT. Huck ends it quickly. Dixon plants Huck with several moves and pins Huck after a top rope elbow at 8:10. The crowd is laying the grief down on Huck. C+, I hate that I gave it that grade. I would have rather have seen Huck vs. Creed but was told I would have to wait a month.
Cam Carter of the Honor Society (with Logan Chase) vs. Lee Johnson
Johnson's a sub for Snoop Strikes, who had car trouble. He gets a welcome back chant. A highflying affair after two hoss fights? Yes, please. Loads of back and forth action happening. Chase causes a distraction for a near fall. Johnson fights back and climbs the turnbuckle. Chase's on the apron while Carter leaves the ring. Johnson switches direction and lands on Carter on the outside. Johnson tosses Carter back in the ring, and Chase grabs the foot of Johnson as he tries to re-enter. Johnson kicks Chase off and walks right into a spinning superkick from Carter and gets pinned at 8:05. Johnson got over quickly after several months of absences from SHW, B.
Dani Jordyn joins the SHW commentary team for the next match.
Dani and Brook exchange words before the match start. Both women get mixed reactions from the crowd. Snow gets the big pop. Brook bails when the bell rings and jaws with Dani at the commentary table. Back in the ring, Brook plays the delaying game. Snow finally grabs her and tosses Brook to the mat. Snow has her way with Brook in the early going until she follows Brook outside the ring, where both women get acquainted with the barricade.
They fight their way over to the commentary table, Ref Prater is being very generous with his ten count. Brook slams Snow's head into the ring apron and slides into the ring. Dani has enough of the verbal abuse from Brook and hits the ring, attacking Brook, which causes the DQ at 5:26. Winner: Brooklyn Creed. Snow is upset with Dani for interfering, Dani's apologetic to Snow. I'm thinking that a triple threat match is in the offing, but what would be the stakes? C+
Submission Match: David Ali vs. Kyle Matthews
Ali attacks Matthews as Matthews enters the ring. They fight ringside, and Kyle is able to tope Ali. They are fighting all around the ring. Ali traps Kyle's fingers in the ring post and smashes them. They fight out into the crowd and by the AV booth. Ali decks Garrett as Kyle ducks. They head back to the ring area, and Kyle makes Ali take a seat and runs around the ring, then into Ali. The crowd wants one more, and Kyle obliges. The match officially starts after about 6 minutes of them fighting out of the ring. Back in the ring, Ali's trying several submissions, but Kyle is fighting out of them. They are fighting their way up the outside of the turnbuckle, Kyle pulls Ali off the top with some sort of cutter move. Kyle locks in a submission, some kind of a spider hold, and Ali is forced to at 4:41. Kyle pulls Ali up and shakes his hand and then leaves the ring. A very good match before intermission, B.
-- Intermission --
Mack tells Michele that since she's new here, to not try so hard, He handles his own intro. The crowd pops for Joe's entrance, getting a "Chanting Joe's gonna kill you." Mack mouths off to Joe and shoves him. Joe starts chopping and striking on the chest of Mack. Mack reverses in the corner and stomps on Joe. He backs off, mouthing off to the crowd, and Joe levels him with a lariat. Joe gives Mack the Three Amigos; Mack rolls out fo the ring after the third one. Joe lounges in the corner while Mack tries to regroup on the outside.
An "AC Trash" chant starts. Mack Hot Shots Joe as Joe was rushing Mack. Mack's working on the arm of Joe. The crowd is chanting for Joe. Joe's fighting back, but his arm gives out on a first face plant. Ever the opportunist, Mack takes the fight to Joe and gets a near fall. Mack shoves Joe from the top rope, but Joe catches Mack and suplexes him. Joe goes up top and lands a splash for a near fall. Joe sets up for a rush, but Mack moves, and Joe lands in the turnbuckle on the bad arm. Mack shoves Joe's hand inside the bottom turnbuckle and dropkicks Joe's arm. A Mack 10 attempt gets turned around into a falcon's arrow for a near fall. Joe's setting up in the corner, he rushes at Mack, but Mack catches him and locks in a submission. Joe picks up Mack and slam him down to break it up. Mack locks in another submission, Joe tries to power out of it, but Mack turns it into a DDT for a near fall.
Mack is arguing with Prater about the count and turns into a spear by Joe. Mack rolls out of the ring before Joe gets to cover him, Joe follows Mack out. As they re-enter the ring, Mack kicks the rope into Joe's groin. Mack sets up Joe for a draping Mack 10 and pins Joe at 14:05. AC Mack is now in the Southern Cup Invitational. The crowd is chanting for Joe after the match. Joe yells into the video camera as he leaves to the back, couldn't hear what he said the crowd near him popped, A-
Representing the Honor Society, Kevin Ryan (with Jordan Kingsley and Logan Chase) vs. Owen Knight of the New Era.
NYT bail when Owen hits the ring. Owen topes on them to start the match. Owen sends Ryan into the barricade hard. Owen sends Ryan into the barrier on the other side of the ring. Ryan fights back, he tries for a backflip from the ring apron, but Owen pulls Jordan into his spot. Ryan spear Owen from the ring apron to the barricade. Ryan works over Owen with fast, high impact moves. The crowd chants for Owen's comeback, he tosses Ryan out of the ring, but Ryan superkicks Owen as Owen tries for a dive, Ryan curb stomps the middle of Owen's back for a near fall. They trade blows, and Owen plants Ryan with a wicked-looking backbreaker. Ryan lands a brainbuster for a near fall. Ryan has Jordan hold up Owen on the ropes, but Owen ducks, and Jordan eats the superkick. Owen plants Ryan for the pin at 7:36. The Honor Society rushes the ring, attacking Owen. Ryan climbs up top, calling for a 450. David Ali and Dani Jordyn rush the ring to make the save, and they run off the HS. It looks like The New Era is back in bidness. They pose up on the stage, B-. I was actually expecting Ali to attack Owen there, but it didn't happen.
Ashton's PP comes out, and he confesses that he's scared after the last show because Lethal Poison attacked him, causing Ashton to lose the title. He goes off on Hollis. He calls Starr the unpinned SH champion and that April 10th will be the end of Hollis. He introduces Ashton Starr and The Lynch Mob.
Ashton Starr, Matt, and Joey Lynch vs. Lethal Poison (Corey Hollis, Mikal Judas, and Brady Peirce)
Hollis doesn't want Starr and tags in Brady. Brady tries to muscle Starr around, but Starr out moves Brady, Judas tags in, and The Mob and Starr double team him. Judas muscles out and isolates Matt. All 6 men in the ring, they face off and start pounding away at each other. They spill out of the ring, and Todd Fox starts the 10 counts. LP get Matt into the ring, and he's taking the punishment. Matt tries to fight his way to tag, but Judas catches him in a bear hug. Matt finally tags in Starr. He takes it to LP until Hollis plants Starr on the ring apron. Starr's on the receiving end of the abuse now. Judas and Brady pull the Mob off the apron to prevent a tag, Matt eventually tags in and takes it to LP. The Mob does double teams on Brady and Judas. The Mob and LP fight ringside and then out into the crowd, leaving Starr and Hollis in the ring.
They face off and start wailing away at each other. Hollis spits on Starr, Starr spits back. Starr goes to toss Hollis across the ring, but Todd Fox is in the way, he gets leveled. They fight some more, and Starr low kicks, Hollis. Starr plants Hollis, and Fox makes the prolonged three count for the pin, time 17:40. Ashton poses with the title and tosses onto Hollis. Hollis remains in the ring, dead. Security has to drag the carcass to the back. B-.
Final Thoughts:
1. For me, the show felt out of sync for some reason. The rest of the crowd had a blast, so I guess I was the issue.
2. The AC Mack/Joe Black was the match of the night for me. You could figure out that Mack would be in the Southern Cup Invitational, but the way he got in could set up a program with Joe Black, and that wouldn't be a bad thing at all. (Here's a hint. It would be awesome!)
3. I ate too much junk food. Maybe that the reason. Note to self: badger Gary into installing a salad bar.
4. Mason and Dixon are making some waves in the Indy scene. If they are brought back, hopefully, it will be in a tag match against whomever the tag champs are.
5. I keep swearing to myself that I'm going to start bringing a super soaker to shows and use them on people who stand in front of me and the guys in the audience who try to hijack matches and shows with weird chants.
6. Garett Sakahara deserves battle pay. He took a hard knock from Ali.
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