From RobBrod:
Gilbreath Rec Center, Lindale, Ga
My first time at KLT; been trying for a while, just never
seemed to work out. This is a revamped KLT as the previous booking regime has
left and looks to be starting a new promotion elsewhere in the area. I didn’t
know this as I made me decision to come to tonight’s festivities, but hey,
serendipity.
This is also a cross-promotion event with Deep South Wrestling.
The crowd here tonight is a bit different than what I’ve
been use to seeing lately; it reminds me of the UIW crowds back in the day. I
do see some familiar faces in the crowd that I know travel.
The building is set up with about 300 chairs on the floor
along with bleachers. Easily 400 in here.
Some of the wrestlers here I do know, some I don’t, so will
reserve some judgments on that end.
Referees are Paul Santa, Marty Duncan, and Brad Barnes.
The show starts with KLT owner Ricky Wiggins coming to the
ring along with a few other people. Phyllis Gibbs sings the National Anthem a capella,
very nice soprano. Alfred Little was the reverend who led the prayer. A young
man (Bentley) is introduced who had a heart transplant some time ago. Several
birthday people are acknowledged along with a prayer request list.
Ring announcer Jeremy Leight brings out Skrilla the Great to a mix of cheers and jeers, more cheers it seems to me. KLT Champion Zero is then introduced to a standing ovation. Zero and Skrilla immediately get in each other faces and have to be separated. Zero chants are deafening. Skrilla was the KLT champion some time ago. It looks like Tiffany Tessmacher has presented Zero with a new title belt. The old belt gets presented to a young child; Skrilla grabs it and the child Joshua grabs it back and shoves Skrilla down. Skrilla getting plenty of boos now. Skrilla and Zero have a pose off with Tiffany Tessmacher holding the title, Skrilla sneaks in a cheap shot and then escapes the ring when Zero goes after him. And the main event is now set.
Video plays showing how KLT and Deep South came together for
this cross-promotion event.
1st: Chris Gainz vs. Chris Kamikaze
Gainz introduces himself to the KLT crowd and says there
will be a weigh in tonight. Kamikaze gets the love from the crowd. Gainz cheats
a bit on the weigh in, using the rope and the ref’s shoulder to come in at 204.
Kamikaze weighs and Gainz puts his foot on the scale to make it 207. Gainz gets
caught and Kamikaze makes the weight. Gainz tries a sneak attack, Kamikaze was
waiting for that and Gainz is out on the floor.
Gainz gets brought into the ring the hard way and Kamikaze
pounds away on him. Kamikaze goes up top, Gainz pulls the ref in front of him
to prevent Kami from doing anything and then Ganz jiggles the ropes to cause
Kami to lose his balance and crash to the mat. Gainz targets the back and ribs
of Kami. Kami fires up and plants Gainz with a T-bone suplex variant for some separation.
They fight on the top turnbuckle and Kami lands a superplex then a falcon’s
arrow for a near fall. Gainz tries to hit Kami with the scale, Kami dodges and gets
a near fall from a small package. Gainz gets a near fall of his own a second
later but on the follow up, Kami rolls Gainz over for the win at 8:53.
2nd: Ryan Marx Vs. Azrael vs. Chris Martel
Not the same Azrael that you know from Anarchy, totally
different guy. Not familiar with anyone in this match: Martel’s the total baby
face, Moss the total heel, Azrael’s a bit of a tweener in that some people
cheered while the rest booed. Alliances made and broken at a drop of a hat.
There’s a guy standing in the entryway, this must be Papa James
of the Family. He makes his way ringside and distracts the ref while two other
guys run in and take out Moss and Martel, giving the win to Azrael at 5:21.
This is the Family and I'm guessing that Azrael is the newest member of The
Family. The two guys that ran out were Joey Idol and David Vorhees. Papa James
hugs Azrael and tells Martel that this is only the beginning.
3rd: Skull and Maranda vs. Aubrey Gold and Davian
Darko in a mixed tag match.
The crowd is on Skull’s case and the fact that he’s
folically challenged. Not familiar with the face team. Skull’s claiming that
his hair is being pulled; the ref’s not having it. Cheap shots on Darko. Ladies
in now, this is the first time I’ve seen Miranda wrestle in the ring. Aubrey
controlling much of this, Miranda escapes to the floor. Aubrey goes to follow
and gets caught. Heat on Aubrey but she makes the tag. Darko goes off on Skull,
Miranda gets in a cheap shot to allow Skull to take over. Double clothesline
leaves the men flat on the canvas. The ladies tag in and the guys are fighting
on the floor. Miranda catches Aubrey and pins her at 10:25.
First of 3 Deep South matches, Leight gives it to Michael
Longino to announce those.
4th: Stephan Tha Wall vs. Jacob Johnson
A battle of the big boys here. Wall uses cheap shots on the
test of strength and puts the heat on Johnson. Wall grabs a ringside chair and
brings it into the ring. Ref Santa grabs it and tosses it out of the ring.
Johnson uses that to go off on The Wall and plants him with a slam for the win
at 5:33.
Intermission.
5th: Representing the Family: Joey Idol and David
Vorhees with Papa James Vs. Buzz Saw and Big Dog
Buzz Saw didn’t come out so it will be a handicap match. Dog
holding his own in the opening minutes; one of the Family, Joey Idol, looks to
be injured out on the floor, the other two refs have to help him to the back. James
uses the distraction to choke Dog. Action out on the floor and more
interference. Back in the ring, Big Dog fires up and pins Vorhees at 5:20.
A legit injury to Idol happened.
James gets in the ref’s face afterwards, claiming that it
was only a two-count. He also promises retribution on Dog.
6th: The Creeps (Andey Ripley and Irving West)
vs. Los Martinez (Cosmos Martinez and Siomara) vs. Randy Reno and Gemma Jewels
Looks like only 2 people in the ring at one time and they
can be whoever. West and Reno start and shenanigans happen from there for a few
minutes, everyone is wrestling everyone else. Siomara is taking most of the
heat, everyone taking turns beating on her. Hot tag to Cosmos, he cleans up and
things get even nuttier. West and Reno hit their respective partners by mistake
and Cosmos and Siomara double team West for the win at 19:13.
My only criticism of the night is that this match, IMO,
could have been 5 minutes shorter.
7th: SUV vs. Demon Master with Tiffany Tessmacher.
Big pops for both men, DM comes to the ring with a staff
that’s on fire and he uses it to spit a couple of fireballs on the way to the
ring and a couple of more in the ring itself. DM’s not a small man, SUV is much
larger, I guess that’s how he got his name. A shake of the hands to start the
match but things get chippy fast and punches are being thrown, trying to knock
each other out. A double clothesline knocks both men down and then The Family
hit the ring attacking both men, causing the match to end at 1:58. SUV and DM
get rid of The Family and almost start fighting each other again but Tessmacher
stops it and they hug it out.
Might be the beginning of an alliance to face off against The Family.
Main Event for the KLT Heavyweight Championship: Skrilla the
Great vs. Zero (c).
Big pop for Zero; he’s come a long way from when I first saw
him at APCW in Douglasville. Skrilla has held the KLT title in the past and
maintains that he never lost it. He still has some fans in the crowd but they
are drowned out. The initial feeling out process lasts several minutes with holds
and counters. Things then get chippy with shoves, slaps, then fists flying
around. Zero gets the upper hand but Skrilla rolls out of the ring. A tope by
Zero, then in the ring a cross body from the top ripe for a near fall. He goes
for another move but it’s blocked and Skrilla takes over. Skrilla misses a
corner splash and Zero gets a near fall. Skrilla takes back the momentum but
can’t put Zero away. Zero gets dumped over the top rope, landing hard. Skrilla
with a baseball slide. Jumping DDT by Skrilla for a near fall.
The crowd urging Zero on and he punches his way to his feet.
they knock each other down and get up by the count of 8. Zero has more energy
and takes it to Skrilla. Skrilla catches Zero on the top turnbuckle, and they
fight up there. Skrilla wants a superplex, Zero is fighting out of it, but
Skrilla is able to get him over, but Zero rolled through and both men’s
shoulders are down when Ref Santa makes the 3-count at 16:07. The match is declared
a draw and Zero is still KLT Champion. Skrilla attacks Zero afterwards and
storms to the back with the belt. Jan 21st is the next show here at
the Gilbreath Center.
Final Thoughts:
KLT was the only major promotion (major shows that draw
more than 250 on a regular basis) left in North Georgia that I had yet to go to.
Glad to cross it off my list.
KLT is in a transitory period that most promotions go
through where some of the older, established talent that the crowd both loves
and love to hate will be working with new to the area talent. SFCW went through
this several years ago, and though had some rough patches, got through it
stronger than before. I think they (KLT) can pull it off.
Working with Deep South should help with that as well.
Nick Patrick had car problems on his way to the show and
couldn’t make it.
The lighting set up for the matches made you feel like
you were watching matches from back in the 50’s and 60’s with a single light system
set directly above the ring and the rest of the arena dark. The only thing
missing was people smoking cigars and cigarettes, which thankfully they can’t
do anymore.
