This was the go home episode for Wicked Havoc this Friday night in Piedmont.
The heart and guts of it -- two epic talk segments and the insane aftermath of the main event, all of which pushed the envelope for the Wicked Havoc main events -- "King of the Dead" Shean Christopher vs. Dameon Ceretone in a Buried Alive match and ProSouth Champion Brandon Whatley defending the title against former champion Eric Silva, the only ProSouth Champion to reign longer than Whatley.
This Buried Alive match will be the real deal. The loser will be buried in a six foot grave, not just shoveling some dirt on the guy.
Buried Alive is match rarely done on the independent level. SVW did a Buried Alive in 2020. I'm not aware of the details. Krule vs Matt Tremont in a cinematic version makes it IWTV debut on Halloween. Friday night in Piedmont, ProSouth willl do it live in one take.
Harley's Birthday Bash was everything Harley feared it would be and more thanks to Cameron Keast. Harley now faces the prospect of a match with Keast at Wicked Havoc but she gets to determine the rules.
Women rule at ProSouth. Ravenna Vein may or may not accept a challenge from the first lade of Atonement and new mother Charlie Punk to further mess with Christopher's mind.
Also added for Wicked Havoc: Ace Haven & Bobcat vs. Chris Kamikaze & Saul Wright and Nawfside Heroes defending the tag team championship in an open challenge.
As promised, Eric "The World" Walker made a successful first defense of the All Antarctica Championship.
Lewis Santiago was back (yes!) as the lead official along with Kevin Tubbs.
Wicked Nemesis and Mathias Darkthorne manned the commentation station. When it comes to art of saying the most with the fewest words, they have no peers.
James Hardy was the ring announcer. He also tried and failed to get a spot in one of the matches and may or may not have been dressed in a chicken suit.
King's Court -- Ace Haven with Dameon Ceretone, Shean Christopher and Ravenna Vein. Ace explained the buried alive match. A six foot grave will be dug in the outdoor area where the Death Pit match was held. The loser of the match will indeed be buried six feet under.
Ace, Ceretone and Christopher were seated a table in the ring. Darkthorne noted that Vein declined to spread the ropes for Christopher and remained standing. Christopher wanted to know how it could it be that Ceretone was still working for ProSouth after having him run over in the parking lot? Ace said Ceretone had an ironclad contract with ProSouth. and pointed out that Christopher was the beneficiary. Otherwise, he wouldn't have the opportunity to extract his revenge on Ceretone next week.
Christopher admitted Ace had a good point. It was now certainty he would end Ceretone's life next week. Ceretone had humbled and humiliated him twice but he didn't have enough take him out for good. Ceretone went after his queen but his greed would be his undoing. The same fans Ceretone invited to his funeral, he was inviting them to Ceretone's funeral next week.
A top flight babyface should never make a promise he can't keep and he already lost to Ceretone in the last man standing, so I guess Ceretone must be getting buried next week.
Ceretone said let's talk about greed. Ceretone had told Ravenna all she had to do was be at one with Atonement and she would be YouTube Champion but Christopher stepped in. Christopher's greed is why he was here right now. Ceretone said he was doing everyone a favor by getting rid of Christopher, not just Ravenna but maybe Ace as well. We still don't have answers as to why when Christopher came in all those other guys (New South) came in, and when Shean got put down, all of them left. Ace did business and made plans. He welcomed Shean home and brought others in only to watch Christopher's downfall and the others left too. Ceretone said Christopher brought a cancer to ProSouth.
Ace got fired up. He said it was unfair for Ceretone to hold Christopher responsible for his family tree and his family's associates. When Ace thought cancer, he didn't think of Shean, he thought of those people that left. the people that run in Jacksonville, the people that shut down in Gadsden. Ace said he be damned if he would allow Ceretone to mention Christopher in the same breath with those people.
Interesting how they circled back to what went down with Donnie Primetime/New South and incorporate that real life ugliness into this storyline. Leave it to Ace to bury the competition along with whoever gets buried next week.
Ceretone said Ace still saw the 15 year old Shean Christopher that he helped train, but that's not who Shean was now. There was something Ceretone saw inside of Shean that other people didn't see -- even if Shean didn't join Atonement, it was going to come out. Even if Shean was able to bury Ceretone, would he be able to bury what it created inside of him? Ceretone thought not because Shean jumped in front of the opportunity Ceretone had given to Ravenna and never got his answer from Ravenna.
Shean tried to speak for her but Ravenna cut him off. Ravenna said Dameon's offer was not lost on her but he needed to understand he was asking a lot. Shean needed to understand that she had done everything for him and for once, she was doing something for herself. Before Ravenna could give Ceretone his answer, the light went out and Charlie Punk appeared on the big screen.
Punk said Ravenna was throwing away the opportunity of a lifetime but that was fine by her because she didn't think Ravenna had what it took anyway. As the first lady of the Atonement, Punk knew what she brought to the table. Unlike Ravenna, she was a professional wrestler. What did Ravenna have to offer? Punk thought Ravenna would only manipulate Atonement and tear them apart. Since Ravenna wanted to play wrestler, Punk was challenging her to a match at Wicked Havoc.
Of all the twists and turns this story could take, I didn't see a singles match between Ravenna and Punk being one of them.
Ceretone said no matter what Ravenna's decided, Christopher better hope to God he buried him. Otherwise Ceretone would make sure Christopher never stepped foot in this building again.
As the old cliche goes, so much too unpack. This was a marathon (22 minutes) multi-faceted segment that is must viewing for hardcore fans of the product: three of Alabama wrestling's best talkers getting down to it.
(1) Christian Garrett (with Harley Haven) defeated Amethyst in 5 minutes. Harley out in full clown make up for her birthday. Garrett jumped the bell and worked over Amethyst's arm. Harley used the bottom rope to choke Amethyst behind the ref's back. Amethyst gamely fought her way back into the match and had the momentum when Harley tripped her up. Garrett pinned Amethyst with a pumphandle suplex.
Garrett redeemed himself after last week. No way he was being pinned by a woman two weeks in a row.
Nawfside Heroes video. Pro wrestling's pit bulls announced they were putting the ProSouth Tag Team Championship on the line at Wicked Havoc against any team from any promotion.
I have my hopes up for a team from outside ProSouth to spice things up. Anything else would be a disappointment
(2) Eric "The World" Walker defeated Doug Sanders via submission to retain the All Antarctica Championship in 9:13. Wicked said he was there for Walkers first match at PCW. He knew Walker he had something but not this a 15 year career covering all seven continents. Sanders caught Walker in a ankle lock in the early going. In the end, Sanders missed with the slowest top rope elbow drop in Southern wrestling. Walker won with a move Wicked called the Iceberg Slim, a combination can opener/leglock deal.
Hosting the first Antarctica title match contributed the incredible body of work ProSouth has amassed in the field of perverse entertainment. Loved it happened in Piedmont and that twerp Sanders was the perfect choice for the honor of being the first challenger. Wicked call the match a fantastic idea, unlike the horrifying idea Wicked floated of he and Darkthorne dressing up alike for Halloween.
Harley's Birthday Bash Take 2 -- Keast made sure Harley's birthday balloon floated to the ceiling before she had a chance to grab it. The cake was melted ice cream cake from Carvel. The presents were crap. Instead of a pony, Cam got her a chicken, Super Chicken. HOH abused the chicken and Garrett dragged Hardy/SuperChicken to the back by his beak.
Keast' s real present for Harley was a match at Wicked Havoc where she got to make the rules. The kicker was Cam would be her opponent. Of course the segment had to end with Cam shoving the ice cream cake in Harley's face.
Two perverse entertainment segments in a row and pure torture for Harley. As Cam said, she's had this coming to her for months.
Chris Kamikaze and Saul Wright came to the ring for their match with. Aaron Dallas and Ayden Andrews. Hardy admitted Dallas wasn't there and accused Kamikaze of having something to do with it Being a former mayor and a man of high morals. Kamikaze was taken aback. Hardy offered to step in as Andrews' partner. Darkthorne said Hardy would be more of a handicap than a help. Saul and Kamikaze put the boots to Hardy. Jake Franklin came out to help the hapless Hardy to the back. "Production monkey #4" Justin came to the announce the next match. Bullet Bob's music hit and out came everyone's favorite camera feline...Bobcat.
(3) Ayden Andrews & Bobcat defeated KLT Champion Chris Kamikaze & Saul Wright in 14:03. We learned Bobcat and Saul were former best friends. Match was a different level when Kamikaze and Andrews were in. Kamikaze used the Red Ryder eye poke. Saul ran distraction, allowing, Kamikaze to dump Bobcat off the ropes. Bobcat took heat. Kamikaze crotched Bobcat with a tilt a whirl DDT for a double down and the hot tag. Andrews was ready to finish Saul with the Stamp of Approval. Kamikaze jumped in behind the ref's back and decked Andrews with the Gold Rush briefcase. Saul and Kamikaze screwed up a double team and Bobcat pinned Saul with a crucifix pin.
Length of the match ridiculous, plenty of ring time for Bobcat and Wright though. Finish was a mess. Production was fantastic. On the bright side, match was a showcase for Bobcat, who is a modern day version of Ricky Morton with his selling. Kamikaze and Saul have been anything but a well oiled machine as a team lately.
Kamikaze and Wright beat down Bobcat after the match. Ace made a chair swinging save. Amy Haven made the match for Wicked Havoc -- Ace and the feline vs. CK and Saul.
Whatley and Silva went at it on the mic. Whatley said Silva used his intelligence to finesse his way into a title shot. Whatley admitted he took a page out of LHP's playbook to get the title - stacking up bodies until he got the championship Silva became the most feared man on the ProSouth roster. That fear turned into respect. Whatley liked Silva's methods and learned his ways. Silva wanted to take him out so he had to take Silva out for first.
Silva took issue with the word finesse. He earned that spot by being a killer. He came for Whatley because he made his ass. Whatley should dedicate this entire run to him.
Silva was speaking truth. It's a stone cold fact working with Silva at the start of 2022 was the spark for Whatley's run to the top.
Silva said life punched him in the mouth a lot harder than Whatley ever could. Silva admitted he was living borrowed time. He almost flatlined in the hospital six months ago. He advised Whatley to shoot his shot but he best not miss.
Darkthorne came into the ring. He started by put Whatley over for his skills and accomplishments. Commentating on Whatley's matches over the past year had given him an opportunity to watch Whatley's every move, so he would be at ringside for his brother at Wicked Havoc to stop Whatley's tricks. Whatley called himself the Serpent Assassin. The only good snake was a dead snake. Spoiler alert: Wicked Havoc would end with Whatley being dragged kicking and screaming down the left hand path.
Darkthorne brought fire on the mic. HIs presence at ringside certainly complcates Whatley's situation at Wicked Havoc
Whatley and Silva started brawling. Ooten got involved, then Keast, then Pierce and Christopher. Santiago ran to the ring and called for the bell.
(4) Eric Silva & Cameron Keast & Shean Christopher defeated ProSouth Champion Brandon Whatley & Christian Pierce & Caeden Ooten (with Harley Haven) by disqualification in 9:50. Ceretone came to ringside for a closer look. The heels isolated Keast and destroyed his bad arm. Cam was screaming in pain. Ceretone came to ringside for a closer look. Christopher ran wild and called for Dirty Pretty but Ceretone distracted him. Silva was looking for Collateral Damage. on Whatley but Ooten prevented that from happening. Keast had Ooten in Koji Clutch when Garrett attacked him for the DQ.
It was intense and chaotic. No way there was going to be a clean finish.
Amethyst attacked Garrett. She fought off Garret's finisher and laid him out with her own. Certone got in the ring to confront Amethyst and Pierce waylaid Amethyst with his baseball bat. Jake Franklin came to ringside. Kamikaze clocked Franklin with the Gold Rush Briefcase. Ace attacked Kamikaze and was joined by Bobcat to send Kamikaze packing. Wicked tried to sign off. Now Whatley and Silva were back out there going at it. They brawled up the ramp. Andrews wasted Whatley with the Stamp of Approval. Wicked tried to sign off again.
What a wild conclusion. Before it was over, every wrestler with a stake in Wicked Havoc got involved.
Ceretone cracked Christopher in the head with the baseball bat and put him out with the dragon sleeper. Pierce tied Christopher's hands to the bottom rope. Ceretone brought a crown of barbed wire to ringside and pounded the crown into Christopher's head with a a mallet, then posed in front of him to close out the show.
Edgy stuff. About as close for comfort as they could get to doing a crucifixion scene.
