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Happy New Year everyone! As 2022 has drawn to a close I wanted to take this time to have a little fun and acknowledge some of the noteworthy people and events of the past year that slipped through the cracks of wrestling award shows. I present to you the first annual (and possibly last) “Dukie” Awards, or “Dukies”.
“Dukies” have no nomination process, selection committee, or voting process. They are based only on my opinion from what I have seen over the past year. As with every award there are many deserving winners, but there can only be one….well maybe two in some categories.
And now the 2022 Dukies!
BEST TITLE RUN:
Austin Towers - Southern Violence and Wrestling
Towers has held the SVW championship for well over a year now and put together a streak of impressive title defenses in 2022 for the Athens promotion. Towers defeated the likes of Joe Black, Bobby D, Brandon Whatley, Andey Ripley, Matt Sells, Terry Yaki, and Axel Foley during his run. Sure he got by with a little help from his friends, and maybe he had a referee in his back pocket, but you can’t argue with the results.
BEST PROMOTED EVENT:
Superstars Fanfest
Seems like over the course of three months that not a day went by without some guest announcement for Fanfest. Granted not all of those announcements were exciting, but they kept the event relevant in people's minds and the over 1100 fans who attended the event in Rome speaks volumes to the job that Shawn Ambrose and his team did promoting this event.
MOST CREATIVE POSTER/FLYER
Classic City Wrestling- Summer Blockbuster July 9th
BEST LIVE CROWD: ANARCHY WRESTLING-
Reject's Reunion February 26th
There is nothing quite like The Landmark Arena when it gets cooking, but what happened that cold night in February is something I will never forget. You could feel that it was going to be a special night the moment you walked into the building. The energy the fans brought was nothing short of amazing and like nothing I have ever felt at a wrestling show. Seeing Tank, Azrael, and Rev. Dan reunited in that old school house stirred up many emotions for the estimated 300 people in attendance that night, and it will go down as one of the more memorable nights in that building.
(Honorable Mention: ACTION Wrestling- Southeast First)
MOST CREATIVE SHOW CONCEPT:
The Combine- Southern States Pro
I’m sure this isn’t the first time a wrestling combine has been done, but with Murder 1, Josh Wheeler, and some very knowledgeable judges at the helm, young wrestlers were able to come in, work, and be critiqued by some of the best minds in the state. It also was a means for SSP to find and develop a young, talented, and teachable roster that continued to improve all year. Thanks to the combine the state was treated to a potential match and feud of the year between Exotic Youth and Top Team.
MOST EMOTIONAL MOMENT:
A.C. Mack wins the IWTV World Championship- ACTION Wrestling Southeast First
I don’t think there was a dry eye in the house when Mack scored the win over Alex Shelly, bringing the IWTV championship to the South, and becoming the first openly gay World Champion in the history of professional wrestling. The energy and anticipation grew and grew in this one until just the right moment. Hearing that final bell and seeing the tears running down both kids and grown men’s faces made this another moment in wrestling I will never forget. This match was very meaningful and very special to lots of people involved for many reasons. This match also wins the “Dukie” for BEST BIG FIGHT FEEL.
(Honorable Mention: Todd Sexton’s final match)
MOST UNDERRATED PERFORMER:
Stryk-Nyn
This may come as a surprise to some people, but Stryk never fails to get a pop wherever he goes. This year he has had runs at Southern Fried, Wrestlemercia and held multiple championships with Alternative Pro Wrestling. He never fails to get a reaction from the crowd, and is a fan favorite at Southern Fried. Stryk has wins over just about every super heavyweight in the state of Georgia, and has a believable chance of winning any match he is a part of.
MOST SURPRISINGLY GOOD MATCH:
Krule VS. Zach The Gear Guy- Southern Honor Wrestling
When this match was announced I had serious doubts if it could be pulled off in a successful and effective way. Not only did Dylan Frymyer and the booking team at SHW achieve this, they exceeded all expectations. The match not only worked, it was entertaining, and had just the right amount of gaga and drama that made a win by Zach seem possible. Credit also needs to be given to referee David Weakley. Weakley made sure the inexperienced Zach stayed safe as well as making sure every spot in the match ran smoothly. It wouldn’t have worked nearly as well without him.
MOST HATED HEEL: TIE- Bryce Cannon and Hunter James.
It was really hard to pick between these two but both are hated regardless of what town they are in. I’m not just talking “we don’t like this guy” hate. I’m talking “if I could just get five minutes alone with that little prick” hate. Fans in Georgia love to hate good old school heels, and that's exactly what both of these men are. Security teams have to be on their toes anytime one of these two make their way to the ring.
MOST LOVED BABYFACE:
All Star Special- William Huckaby and “Hold My Beer” Hanson
(Honorable Mention: A.C. Mack, Jacob Ashworth)
BEST SHOOT:
Exotic Youth VS. Shawn Ambrose
It was a pretty quiet year overall in Georgia wrestling drama wise, (probably because Gary Lamb and Stephen Platinum were quiet most of the year) but the talk of wrestling in the days leading up to Superstars Fanfest was the removal of Bryce Cannon from the show by Shawn Ambrose. After Bryce was removed from the show, the rest of Exotic Youth followed suit. The events leading up to this were well documented on Facebook as well as the The GrapCity Podcast. It’s just a shame Ambrose wouldn’t join the podcast so we could hear his side of the story.
BEST TRAINING SCHOOL:
WWA4- Atlanta Georgia
Just look at the talent A.R. Fox continues to turn out year after year. This year guys like Rico Gonzalez, Terry Yaki, Larry Lazard and Jay Lucas have made their mark not just in Georgia, but all over the Southeast. It’s hard to go to any major show in the state of Georgia and not see at least one person in a position of prominence on the card that didn’t train at WWA4.
MOST IMPROVED FEMALE:
Jazzy Yang
Jazzy made HUGE strides in 2022 going from a slightly below average female wrestler to being the female that promotions can build around. She is a natural babyface, and a fan favorite. There is no questioning her natural athletic ability and now it seems her timing and ring presence is catching up with that. Watch for Jazzy to continue to improve in 2023 and become a face of Georgia wrestling.
BEST PERFORMANCE BY A WRESTLER WITH LESS THAN 12 APPEARANCES:
Gunner Miller
It’s hard to find another wrestler with a better story arc than Gunner Miller had at SHW in 2022. From handling the mind games of Tank and Rev. Dan, to holding his own in a deathmatch against the Bloodbath Behemoth, the first half of the year for Gunner was enough to put him on the wrestling radar. Gunner took it up a notch the second half of the year winning the Rumblejack, fighting off Dis-honor every month, and living his own redemption story on the way to becoming the Southern Honor Champion in December.
FUNNIEST MOMENT:
Bill Behrens’ New Jack tribute- Southern Fried Championship Wrestling Shindig
I laughed at a lot of things in wrestling this year (for both the right and wrong reasons) but seeing Behrens dressed like New Jack, and rolling a shopping cart of weapons to the ring had everyone in the building cheering and laughing at the same time. Beherns then unleashed some carnage using a broom and a baking pan on The Undeniable. He finished up by whacking Matt Hankins over the head with a guitar. No doubt New Jack would have been proud.
BEST GEAR GUY:
Zach The Gear Guy- Southern Honor Wrestling
Anyone who has ever been to SHW knows Zach and knows the energy he brings to his position. Zach has become a part of the Southern Honor experience and has developed a following in Canton. I've said it before and I’ll say it again, if everyone in the wrestling business had the energy and excitement of Zach, wrestling would be a much better place.
BEST PERFORMANCE BY A WRESTLER AGAINST AN APPLIANCE, LANDSCAPING EQUIPMENT, OR SMALL TRACTOR:
“Nature Boy” Paul Lee VS. His Lawnmower
BEST KEPT KAYFABE:
The true identity of Dusty Finnish
The talk behind the scenes of Georgia wrestling for the past two months has been trying to figure out the true identity of Dusty Finnish. Rumors have circulated but nothing has been confirmed or denied. It’s clear Dusty has inside knowledge of the business but no one can quite seem to figure out who it is and I hope it stays that way…..and no it’s not me.
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