Scenic City Invitational Night One -- Red Bank on July 14

Photos by Bob McAteer From Larry Goodman: Night One of the 2023 SCI is in the books and it was an unqualified home run.  Great wrestling, gr...

Photos by Bob McAteer

From Larry Goodman:

Night One of the 2023 SCI is in the books and it was an unqualified home run. 

Great wrestling, great storytelling, great atmosphere. 

The TWE Arena was packed with a hyped crowd of 170. They could have a fit a few more bodies in there but not many. The running time for the eight opening round matches was two hours and 40 minutes. 

The variety of matches on night one was outstanding. One of SCI strengths through the years is the match time are usually just right and that held true last night. It was the bloodiest SCI night one on record.

ACTION CEO Matt Griffin opened the show with fans chanting of "SPO" in honor of former SCI referee Sean Patrick O'Brien, who passed away earlier this year. The referees wore "SPO" armbands and there were references to O'Brien through the course of the night.

The show streamed live on IWTV with Dylan Hales and Mose on commentary. 

(1) Bobby Flaco defeated Rico Gonzalez to advance to the second round

(7:48). Flaco picked Gonzalez as his opponent when Alan Angels had to drop out of the tournament due to a conflict with his Impact Wrestling schedule.  A crisply worked sprint. Was a "both these guys" affair until jealousy reared it's ugly head. Flaco intimated Gonzalez didn't deserve all the opportunities he was getting. Flaco survived a top rope double stomp from Gonzalez as he was standing on the apron and pinned him with a springboard stunner.

They got into a staredown after the match. Flaco broke the tension, telling Gonzalez had earned those opportunities. The crowd popped for the show of respect and chanted for Rico.

(2) Sawyer Wreck defeated John Wayne Murdoch under ICW No Holds Barred rules to advance to the second round (5:53). They crammed a hell of a lot of violence into six minutes. The pop for Wreck way out  did the one Murdoch received.  They both bled profusely after headbutting each other with a gusset plate. Both got put through tables. Murdoch pounded bamboo skewers into Wreck's forehead and hand. Wreck placed a cactus plant over Murdoch's weenie and whacked it with a chair. Murdoch stapled Wreck in her nether region. Murdoch brought out a light tube bundle. The crowd got excited but Murdoch busted the tubes as a FU to the fans. Wreck chokebombed Murdoch onto chairs and stacked him up for the three count. Crowd loved it. 

(3) 2022 Action Futures Showcase winner BK Westbrook defeated Mike

Jackson to advance to the second round (11:31). With the 73 year old Jackson's sentimental appeal, the heel/babyface dynamic figured to be huge. However, there were dueling chants early in the match until Westbrook proved beyond a doubt that he was a total dick. Westbrook was flying around the ring for Jackson. He blocked Jackson's very old school ropes walk and gave him a hotshot to the gut. Jackson kicked out of Westbrook's running shooting star. Westbrook mocked Jackson with a ropes walk of his own and paid the price. Huge "Jackson" chants for his tope. Jackson pulled off the ropes walk. Finish saw Jackson go for victory roll. Westbrook blocked and pinned Jackson using the ropes. The blows were stiffer than you'd think. I was at Jackson's GCW match with Blake Christian and preferred this one with Westbrook.

(4) Adam Priest defeated Shazza McKenzie to advance to the second round (8:30). Priest was greeted with a partial standing ovation.  Priest was despicable. He faked a handshake and grabbed a side headlock. Priest pulled Shazza's ponytail and grabbed her by the nose. McKenzie gave Priest a taste of his own and then some.

Priest tried to piledrive McKenzie on the floor but she backdropped out of it. Priest pulled the belt off of the referee. While the ref tried to keep his pants up, McKenzie kicked Priest in the groin and hit a DDT. Priest was down for the count but had his foot under the ropes. McKenzie hit the Super Shaztastic Stunner but Priest fell out of the ring. McKenzie went out after him. As they reentered the ring, Priest landed a stiff kick to the head and pinned McKenzie with a draping DDT. For a forgone conclusion match, this was magically well worked and gave the illusion McKenzie could win.

(5) Suge D vs. 2022 SCI Champion Jaden Newman was ruled a no contest at 18:56. MLW Champion Alex Kane accompanied Suge to the ring with his newly won title belt. Suge told Kane he had to do this himself and sent Kane to the back. This feud had been raging for a year. They were beating the shit out of each other right from the opening bell. The infamous TWE Arena post came into play. A sick headbutt spot sent them both down on the floor. Newman launched a wild dropkick from the apron onto Suge, who was seated in a chair on the floor. Suge got a cross armbreaker in the ropes. He tore the brace off of Newman's shoulder and went after the injured body part. They boxed. Newman ended the exchange with a stiff forearm. Down went Suge, face first. They traded stiff shots until both men went down, then battled on their knees. Suge hit a death valley driver into the turnbuckles but Newman kicked out. Newman went for Hangman's Clutch. Suge escaped and stomped Newman's bad shoulder. Suge pulled a pocket knife from under the ring and cut the canvas loose to expose the ring boards for the finish. 

The mat didn't cooperate so the spot took forever to set up. Suge went for a piledriver. Newman backdropped Suge onto the exposed boards. They jockeyed for position on the ropes. Suge gave Newman a superplex onto the boards. Neither man could get to their feet by the count of 10 and referee Kim Skiles called for the bell.

The building went silent as the implications of what the crowd had just witnessed sunk in -- Newman was denied the opportunity to become the first to win back-to-back SCIs. Newman flew into a rage and had to he held back by security. AND this feud will continue...

Watching on IWTV could not do the brutality of the live experience justice. Newman's chest was a mass of welts and he had huge bruise under his left eye. Suge's left cheekbone was swollen up.

Since neither Suge or Newman advanced, the last spot in the second round will be filled by the winner of the 6 way scramble match that will open night two: TWE Champion Darian Bengsten vs. Bojack vs. Diego Hill vs. Rico Gonzalez vs. the winner of the ACTION Futures Showcase (2 pm this afternoon at the TWE Arena) vs. a replacement for the injured Lobo Okami.

The Skulk (Adrian Alanis & Liam Gray) made an unscheduled appearance and created quite a hullabaloo with their fan baiting. Fans were in their faces and security had to bear hug one old lady. Skulk insisted they received an invite. SCI co-founder/ring announcer Scott Hensley informed Skulk there was no invite and they had no match. Hensley finally shrugged his shoulders and announced Skulk as the winners of something by forfeit.

(6) Landon Hale defeated Eli Knight to advance to the second round (13:02). This was the rubber match between these two and the spotfest of the of the night. They tore the house down, putting their bodies on the line with a gritty, all out effort that was borderline reckless. A couple of minutes in, Knight did a flip dive to the outside and the back of Hale's head got split wide open as he crashed into a chair leg. The blood was flowing. Hale looked in bad shape. They kicked into another gear around the seven minute mark and never looked  back. Knight caught Hales mid air on a Lethal Injection attempt and gave him a german suplex. Hales got right up. Knight hit a poisonrana. Hales got up again and hit a standing spanish fly. The crowd came to their feet. After repeated collisions of clothelines with neither combatant giving an inch,. Hales sent Knight spinning with a lariat. The crowd chanted his name. Knight dropped Hales on his neck with a fisherman suplex on the ring apron. Eli with a moonsault for two. Knight went up top. Hales did a box jump leap directly to the top rope and backflipped to his feet as Knight shoved him off. Knight followed with  a missile dropkick. The action spilled outside where Hales powerbombed Knight on the entrance ramp. Knight barely beat the 10 count. Hales finished Knight with an SPO driver (head drop out an electric chair). The crowd gave them a standing ovation and pounded on the mat in approval. Hales is the wild card dark horse contender going into the second round.

Postmatch -- Hales said he shed blood for SPO, a brother to him, Knight and all the fans. Hales offered to shake hands. Knight kicked Hales hand away, then embraced him in a show of mutual respect. 

(7) 1 Called Manders defeated Noah Hossman to advance to the second round

(11:58). The hoss fight of the night or as one fan chanted "big meaty men slapping meat". Hossman had major heat from his heel work as a TWE regular. Manders was over big time. Wicked stiff chops galore. Hossman busted out a cartwheel clothesline and got a derisive "baby Hossy" chant. Manders gave Hossman an Oklahoma Stampede for a near fall. Hossman splashed Manders off the middle rope for a near fall. A slapfest ensued. They ate clotheslines until both went down. Hossman hit the Doctor Bomb and was almost in tears when Manders kicked out. Manders finally killed Hossman dead with the lariat. The way Hossman went toe-to-toe with Manders on even terms was a testament to how far he's come in the last two years. 

Postmatch -- Manders offered to shake hands. Hossman thought about it before accepting. The crowd applauded both men. A show of emotion flashed across Hossman's face as he sat on the ring apron. He wiped it off and said "I still hate all of you". 

(8) Timothy Thatcher submitted Tank (with The Rev) at 9:13 to advance to the second round. Tanks is beloved in this building. Rev asked SCI to scream for him. They obliged. Thatcher's intensity is something else. Thatcher came out blasting Tank with European uppercuts. Tank was staggered but fired back and Thatcher was the first to go down. Thatcher did a number on Tank with the TWE Arena post. Tank was busted open. Thatcher started working on Tank's wrist. They knocked each silly with headbutts. Tank applied an Anaconda Vise but Thatcher hooked the ropes with his feet. Tank dropped Thatcher with a clothesline and got a near fall with Saito suplex. Thatcher went back to the wrist and worked into a  standing octopus hold. Tank's arms were bent at sick angle and there was no way out. Referee Aaron Noyes called for the bell. Tank was dead weight when Thatcher released the hold. Loved the execution and unexpected timing of the finish and the realism of the match as a whole.

The crowd chanted for the Tank, who is legend in this building. Tank humbly acknowledged the support to end the show.

Second round match ups for night two (TWE Arena and livestream on IWTV at 7:30 pm) were announced as follows:

Westbrook vs. Hale

Wreck vs. Manders

Thatcher vs. Priest

Flaco vs. the winner of the six way scramble. 

The four winners advance to four way elimination final.

The ACTION Futures Showcase is at 2pm. All three of the 2022 finalists (Westbrook, Hossman and Gonzalez) made the tournament field this year.