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| Photos by Bob McAteer |
From Larry Goodman:
Southern Fried Championship Wrestling did the company and the heritage of the event proud at Shindig XI.
450+ in the building. a match of the year candidate in the main event and most every match hit right beginning to end. With so many well-developed stories, crowd reactions were at peak level.
CT Keys defeated Judais to become a two-time Southern Fried Heavyweight Champion. I wrote that they had the best title match in company history at Shindig 2023. This one was even better. It was a throwback style heavyweight title match that can't be seen anywhere else in Georgia and not many places anywhere really. Keys is at the top of his game. Judais is so underappreciated it's a crime.
Two other matches stood out: The ladder match where Billy Buck retained the Classic Championship was everything Southern Fried could have hoped for. Najasism and Marcus Kross knocked it out of the park.
Shindig XI was also a night of retirements. Tetchi Makuji, Dr. Joseph Brock III and Rick Richards all said farewell.
The announce team of Adam Vance and Rosario Grillo opened with a stand up at the desk then threw to matchmaker Bill Behrens in the ring.
Rick Richards was honored for his 34 year as a ring announcer.
Alexander Lev and his cronies interrupted. Lev put Behrens over as a great agent and asked BB if he would be his agent. Was Bill faithful? Behrens' answered without saying a word. I didn't Bill was Italian.
The hate for Lev is blooming in Monroe.
(1) The Grapplers (#1 & #2 & Xander Seabolt) defeated Alexander Lev & Joey Hyder & The Warden in 8:49. Grappler #2 did a 20 count vertical suplex. Warden imposed his will on Seabolt. Hot tag. Grapplers rid the ring of Lev and company. Warden screwed up trying to use his motorcycle helmet, ate a sick kick from Seabolt and was pinned by Grappler #2.
The perfect opener for a long evening. Boiled down to the essentials with enough high spots to keep things interesting while taking not one thing away from what was to come. I'm shocked by how rapidly Seabolt is progressing as pro wrestler. His work here was crisp and also made a great guest appearance on the Tipping Point podcast .
Lev read his partners the riot act and slapped their faces.
(2) Classics Climb: Billy Buck defeated "The Wall" Tyler Stevens and Will Kaution and Jaxon Carter and The Kenway to retain the Classics Championship in 17:10. Buck rocking an outrageous blue sequined outfit. He started with Kaution. Carter helped Kaution double up as third to enter. Kenway dropped Carter right on his head with a german suplex. Stevens cleaned up on everyone. They got into ladder spots. Kaution did a high risk dive from the fifth rung of a ladder inside the ring onto the pile of people outside. Dallas got one hand on the belt but Stevens pulled him down. Keway did the Terry Funk ladder spot. Kaution and Carter squandered an opportunity to get to the belt because Carter reluctantly yielded to Kaution. Stevens spilled Carter and Dallas off the ladder and they were dead. Buck and Kaution teamed up for a double superkick on Wall. Kaution superkicked Buck and got one hand on the belt. Buck brought Kaution off the ladder with a cutter in midair and climbed the ladder to unhook the belt.
(3) Deity defeated Crystal Rose in to win the Southern Fried Women's Championship in 2:34. Diety overpowered Rose and pinned her clean with Greetings from Asbury Park to win the title.
(4) Special Challenge Match: Jacob Ashworth defeated Makuji (with Dr. Joseph Brock III) in 11:17. Richards announced this was Makuji's final match at Southern Fried. Makuji showered with streamers. He had "Kimbro R.I.P." painted on his chest. Ashworth tried to body slam Makuji but collapsed under the weight. His attempts at power moves were in vain and he was injuring his back in the process. Brock was conflicted about cheating. Triston Michaels came to ringside to talk him into it but Brock sent back from whence he came. Ashworth kicked out Makuji's Abdullah the Butcher elbow drop and hulked up. Ashworth did the deal - the big boot, a body slam and the Hogan leg drop for the three count.
The crowd showed their appreciation for Makuji after the match.
Story par excellence. Mixed metaphors of Wrestlemania IX and the 4th of July body slam challenge with Makuji as Yokozuna. On that level the match worked beautifully. Ashworth was off the charts with his facial expressions. Ashworth's body slam got a monster pop.
(5) Nick Halen defeated David Manders in a no DQ Streetfight (20:35). Mason Andrews was the special guest ring announcer. The kid was fantastic, dressed to the nines, 100% on point.
GWH photographer Bob McAteer got too close to action and got knocked down. They brawled into the crowd and over to the concession stand. Manders wore Halen out with cookie sheets. Halen had designs on putting Manders through the concessions table but got press slammed onto the table (well almost) by the Southern Fried owner. Back inside, Halen threatened to crush Manders' skull with a steel chair. The chair rebounded off the ropes. Halen was busted open bigtime. Approved (Bobby Moore & Rob Adonis) saved Halen's bacon. Happy Madness (Sal & Sunny) outfoxed Approved. They went to war Great moment when Manders kicked out of Halen's one hand cover. Manders selling his elbow, put Halen down with a bionic elbow. Halen used the knucks. Boom! Out go the lights. Manders had th
(6) Najasism defeated Marcus Kross via referee stoppage at 11:50. Kross' entrance got one of the best pops of the night. Naja in full on flamboyant self-glorification.
They opened trading strikes at light speed Kross took it to the Hoochie Daddy. Naja was begging, slithering away and crawling onto the timekeeper's table to get away. Naja turned the match around with a dragon screw leg whip and did a disgusting little dance. Naja targeted the knee. On one leg, Kross got in a tornado kick for a hope spot. Naja went up top. Kross headed him off at the pass with Spanish Fly. Naja rolled out of the ring in the nick of time. Nate Mansions came to ringside and blindsided Kross. Naja locked in sharpshooter and cranked on it at a sick angle until Kross passed out.
An excellent wrestling match of an entirely type than the main event. Naja and Kross are two pro wrestlers at the peak of their powers. They're both great at knowing what to do when and doing the little things that make a match stand out.
Naja reapplied the sharpshooter after the match. Mansions tossed referee Ft. Worth aside. Behrens got into the ring and shoved Mansions away. The crowd applauded Kross.
(7) Xavier Reyes defeated Hunter James (with "Guiding Light" Triston Michaels) in 13:44. Crowd popped as James came through the curtain. Reyes got a bigger reaction and had the crowd once the bell rang. Michaels interfered. James was all over the neck of Reyes, who recently had a brush with retirement due to a spinal injury. . A see saw battle ensued. Reyes planted James with a sitout powerbomb. Michaels just barely got James' foot under the ropes. Reyes went after Triston. James went after Reyes' neck with a vengeance -- three hangman's neckbreakers, then pulling Reyes up to prevent the three count. Brock came to ringside with Makuji. Brock threw the towel in. James, that cheeky money, caught the towel and threw it back. Reyes surprised James with an inside cradle o win the match.
Postmatch - James beat on Xavier's neck and gave him a brainbuster. Michaels, Brock and Makuji came into the ring En masse. Michaels shoved Brock down. Makuji confronted Michaels and spewed the red mist into his eyes. Brock clocked James with his shoe. James and Michaels ran off with their tails tucked between their legs.
Solid match, great storytelling and a satisfying ending. Reyes won but was physically abused. With the JBE aspect of the story wrapped up, One wonders where this saga goes from here...
Todd Sexton said they had a surprise for Makuji. Edge and Jacob Ashworth entered the ring. Jagged Edge inducted Makuji into the Southern Fried Wrestling Hall of Fame. Turned out it was also Brock's last night at Southern Fried. Brock was also inducted into the HOF. One final "Nerd" chant was asked for and received.
Makuji broke 10 years of silence to do an acceptance speech. He said he loved Southern Fried. Southern Fried was his home. He thanked Charles, David Manders and Todd Sexton. It brought him sorrow to leave but it was time to go home.
Makuji's acceptance speech was absolutely one of the highlights of the night. Brought a tear to my eye. His simple words were extremely moving, made more so by his speaking them in broken English. No better way than a nerd chant to honor Brock on his way out.
(8) CT Keys defeated Judais to regain the Southern Fried Heavyweight Champion in 20:27. The crowd popped huge when the lights went out for Judais' entrance. JJ did the championship style introductions and joined Vance on commentary. Keys fought off a goozle with body shots. Judais tossed Keys clean over the top rope to the floor. Great bump by Keys. The barricades were brought into play. Keys whipped Judais over the barricade. Judias was pissed. Southern Fried security was getting a work out. Keys tried to powerbomb Judais through onto the ringside table but Judais backdropped Keys onto the gym floor. Back inside Judais gave Keys six consecutive body slams. Keys could barely stand but a Judais choke slam yielded a one count only. Keys answered with five consecutive german suplexes. Judais grabbed the ropes to avoid being pinned. Keys hit a major league uranage slam for a near fall. Judais sat up. Keys rushed in. Judais caught him in single leg crab. Keys reversed into rear naked choke and grapevined the legs. Judais broke the hold but the damage was done. There was no steam behind Judais' trademark corner clotheslines. Keys gave Judais a massive dose of his own medicine with El Crucifijo. He didn't get all of it though and Judais kicked out. 15 minutes gone. Keys and Judais sat in opposite corner trying to summon a second wind. Keys with The Pounce. Not even good for a one count. Keys exploded with three more for a very close near fall. Keys was talking to Judais, tellling him to stay down. A Keys choke slam still couldn't get the job done.
Jagged Edge came to ringside and gave Keys a chain. The crowd implored Keys not to use it. Keys decided not to and got speared out of his boots by Judais for a great false finish. Judais went for a powerbomb. No. Keys tried for the torture rack. Judais fought it off and went for the chokeslam. No dice. Keys got Judais up for an amazing F5 to become a two-time Southern Fried champion.
Post match, Judais placed the belt on Keys shoulder. Keys offered a fist bump. Judais responded in a kind.
Big fight feel is such a cliche but this match had it, two powerful heavyweights executing at a high level for 20 minutes, the back story and their selling adding to the drama. Judais' handling of the title change was pure class.
NOTES: Dee Byers, Matthew Daniel and Ft. Worth were the referees....ERC and Spectre were among those helping out with the streamers for Makuji...Brock didn't completely rule out a return at some point. Never say never...
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