Georgia pro wrestling fans were treated to a well-done production from the NAWA Classic folks in Rome, GA on Saturday, May 25th. The attendance count was 217 at the start of the show. Ring Announcer Jeremy D’ Lite made his return to NAWA Classic after a brief absence & was welcomed with an amazing pop from the fans.
First up was an in-ring promo from the current “Ace in the Hole” briefcase/contract holder, “The IT Factor” Rob Adonis. Adonis came to the ring in street clothes and a heavily bandaged left elbow to address the fans. During his tag team match on May 11th, where Adonis tagged with Chris Kamikaze to face Johnny Swinger & Zack Buchanan, Buchanan locked in a “illegal” Kimura Arm Bar joint lock. While in this hold, Adonis had suffered a Torn MCL & an Ulnar Collateral Ligament Tear. With a tear in his eye, Adonis indicated that he would be forced to step away from a sport that he had loved for more than 25 years. He assured the fans that he would be handing the “Ace in the Hole” briefcase/contract to a “crowd favorite” to use as they see fit. The crowd in Rome was not having it. They were incredibly disrespectful to the shaken, and clearly upset, Adonis. One fan, holding an electronic bull horn made the mistake of engaging with Adonis in a series of insults. Somehow, “The IT Factor” turned a crowd of 200 +, who were just applauding his misfortune & injury, into 18 dozen fans who were on his side and heckling the heckler. Adonis went into a 2-minute tirade of zingers, insults, and put downs that shut the fan up. Adonis may be forced out of the ring for a while, but he always has something to say to these fans. He then thanked the fans and said he was headed to the commentary booth for the evening.
Match # 1 (Non-Title) Match Time 4:12 (NAWA Classic National Heavyweight Champion) “The Anomaly” Chris Kamikaze vs Julius Pryor.
Pryor is straight out of a martial arts movie, & Kamikaze had his hands full for the opening 90 seconds. Prior launched into an assault of jump spinning hook kicks, round house kicks, side thrust kicks, and open hand strikes that would have made Van-Damme (Jean Claude… not Rob) proud. As fast as it started, the champ showed us why he is the reigning National Champion. Kamikaze caught Pryor and planted him to begin his epic assault. Kamikaze was visibly angry as he planted Pryor with his Pendulum Kamikaze-plex. A strong opener to the show. NAWA Classic National Champion, Chris Kamikaze cut a scathing promo on Johnny Swinger. Kamikaze scolded and shamed the crowd for their response to Rob Adonis’ unfortunate injury, and then he lit into Swinger. He wants Swinger in the ring one on one. He claimed that the “Sleeper Hold” was an illegal choke hold. This prompted NAWA Classic Commissioner Brad Barnes to enter the picture. Barnes told Kamikaze that he certainly talked a big game when Swinger was not present in the building. Barnes said that he had spoken to Swinger and Swinger would be willing to return to Rome to face Kamikaze on June 8th. The only stipulation was that Kamikaze must put his National Championship on the line. Enraged by the challenge, Kamikaze immediately accepted, and Barnes set the match. June 8th, 2024 at the ANTHONY REC CENTER in Garden Lakes Community of ROME, GA… “TNA IMPACT SUPERSTAR” Johnny Swinger will face “THE ANOMALY” Chris Kamikaze for the NAWA Classic National Heavyweight Championship.
Match # 2 Match Time 7:03 Jason Briars vs “The Regular Guy” Tyler Smith
Tyler Smith has been enraged by his former long time tag team partner Bobby Moore. Moore has pushed Smith to the edge, and it is starting to manifest in the ring. Moore may be in Smith’s head, but Jason Briars is a mountain of a man in Smith way. Briars goes a solid 260 lbs and is built like Ken Patera. Briars engaged with a series of power slams and suplexes that had Smith on the ropes. Smith hit a series of clothslines in the turnbuckle and a rolling corner cannonball. It looked like Briars had it in the bag, but Smith was “Playing Possum” and caught Briars to score the 1, 2, 3 for the win. An exceptional match between the ring veteran Smith & the newcomer Briars.
“Kontent Kingdom Show” with Joey Jones
This segment featured Bobby Moore & Harley Kae. Except, Moore & Kae were a no-show. Commissioner Barnes decided to fire Moore and dismiss his contract with NAWA Classic. As Barnes was about to sign the deal… Moore and Kae’s music hit and they strolled to the ring. Moore told Barnes that he had been on a six-week vacation that has taken him to Los Angeles, Las Vegas, & all up and down the Easter Coast. Moore explained that he is a star, and he would show up when he decided. Barnes’ blood pressure was visibly at a peak, Moore grabbed Barnes and began to throw him around. Tyler Smith slid in the separate his friend from Moore. Barnes decide that, rather than fine or fire Moore, he would give Tyler Smith the match he had wanted for months. On June 8th – at the Anthony Rec Center in the Garden Lakes Community in Rome, Ga,…these two will write their final chapter in an “I QUIT” match.
Match 3 (MEMORIAL DAY MELEE GAUNTLET MATCH) (11 Man Gauntlet Match for the #1 Contender spot to the Rome Heritage Championship)
3:28 Johnny Matthews defeated Joey Idol when Idol took a set of knucks away from Matthews. (Idol then knocked Matthews out with the knucks & then left the ring)
0:07 Dallas Andrews defeated Johnny Matthews (Matthews was still unconscious)
2:08 DJ Black defeated Dallas Andrews with a sunset flip.
1:18 Jason Briars defeated DJ Black with a F-5 Cutter
2:02 Julius Pryor defeated Jason Briars by count out
3:13 James Hardy defeated Julius Pryor (with the help of an object in his elbow pad)
2:22 Zac Riley defeated James Hardy with “Tree Fall Elbow Drop”
0:39 Tim Possible defeated Zac Riley with two (2) running high knee strikes
2:45 Tim Possible defeated Cody McHale with a running high knee strike
1:32 Waylon Rhodes defeated Tim Possible with the “Whiskey Lullaby”
3:23 Corey James defeats Waylon Rhodes by coutout when a video challenge distracted Rhodes. Simon Sermon appeared on the screen and put $5000 up for his Exotic Ones to get a title shot for the NAWA Classic National Tag Team Championship. James becomes the new #1 Contender for the Rome Heritage Championship, and Rhodes accepts the $5,000 challenge. He then told Sermon to bring it in $100 increments, because when the Southern Express retain their National Tag Team Championship, they would be distributing that money to the fans in the front row on June 8th at the ANTOHONY REC CENTER in the Garden Lakes Community in Rome, GA. The Southern Express will defend the NAWA Classic National Tag Team Championship against The Exotic Ones (Simon Sermon & Tommy Too Much).
The ”MEMORIAL DAY MELEE” Gauntlet Match was 28 minutes of non-stop wrestling like the NAWA fans have never seen. What an impressive display of the talent that makes up the NAWA Classic Locker room.
Match 4 (MAIN EVENT) Match Time 15:00 + 5:00 Chris Gainz & “The Prodigal Son” Ryan Marx Vs “The Shooter” Zac Buchanan & “The Blue-Collar Hero” NAWA Classic Rome Heritage Champion Aaron Dallas.
The crowd of 217 had grown slightly by the time the Main Event rolled around. This crowd was hot for this match. These fans were treated to a pure wrestling contest between four fan favorites. I did not believe that the crowd would invest in a match of this nature, but I was delightfully surprised. These four went toe to toe for 15 straight minutes and the fans were all on their feet when the bell rang to signal a time limit draw. With the crowd on their feet, the “5 more minutes” chant immediately broke out. Commissioner Barnes signaled that they would go “5 more minutes.” The final moments saw all four engage in some of the stiffest and loudest chops I have ever heard. You could see the sweat flying and the flesh turning shades of purple and blue. The additional five minutes expired and saw the four gladiators all lying motionless on the mat. The audience gave them a well deserve standing ovation, and the four eventually made it to their feet to shake hand and raise each other’s hands in victory. Marx and Gainz made their way to the locker room, and Dallas & Buchanan decided to give the crowd one more acknowledgment as they ascended the turnbuckles. Out of nowhere, “The IT Factor” Rob Adonis slides in and smashes Aaron Dallas with the “Ace in the Hole” briefcase. The exhausted Buchanan charged Adonis and ate a massive spine buster for his troubles. With Buchanan out of the way, Adonis hit “The Adonis Drop” on Aaron Dallas… on TOP of the “Ace in the hole” briefcase. Adonis then made good on his promise to give the briefcase to someone the fans loved, and he handed it to Commissioner Brad Barnes and Cashed in his “Ace in the Hole” contract to become the NEW /NAWA Classic Rome Heritage Champion.
Match # 5 (NAWA Classic Rome Heritage Championship) Match time 0:05 NAWA Classic Rome Heritage Champion “The Blue-Collar Hero” Aaron Dallas vs “The IT Factor” Rob Adonis
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