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The official ticket sales count was 572 for BULLPEN PRO WRESTLING on Saturday night. The actual headcount “in attendance” was closer to 600 for this show. This was a big building, and they packed it out. That in and of itself is an impressive feat for a small town on a hot August Summer night.
Ranburne High School was on fire Saturday night. The inaugural BULLPEN PRO TAG TEAM CHAMPIONS were crowned, Frankie Valentine had to seek medical attention in the locker room after an in-ring attack, and D-Von Dudley……. Got to “TESTIFY!” The show has a new ring & an incredible new look to their arena set up. A new 20-foot ring, entrance curtains, & the ringside barricades all really gave BULLPEN PRO a sleek new look. The matches were all a part of a one-night tag team tournament to crown the inaugural BULLPEN PRO TAG-TEAM CHAMPIONS.
The night began with a traditional Japanese style tag team tournament ceremony. BULLPEN CEO Bull Buchanan spent a big part of his career in Japan, so it was nice for him to bring that history & heritage to the BULLPEN fans. All the team came out to enter the ring & the net tag team championship titles were displayed on a table in the middle of the ring. BULLPEN PRO is now the only wrestling promotion in Georgia with a 20-foot ring, & they needed the ring space with this tag-team tournament.
D-Von Dudley addressed the audience & put over his years of friendship with BULLPEN CEO Bull Buchanan. As the ceremony was ending, The Superb Destroyer decided to confront Bull (probably about Bull knocking his lights out during the Ron Simmons segment last month). The Destroyer shoved Bull, Bull Shoved The Destroyer…. Then the Destroyer charged Bull. (Side note…. It seems like a bad idea to “Charge” a guy named “Bull.”) Bull snatched up the Destroyer &, with an assist from Zack Buchanan, gave The Destroyer a 3-D through the table that once held the new tag-team championship titles. In true Dudley style, D-Von was still in the ring. In true Dudley style, D-Von proclaimed, “OH MY BROTHAAAA….. TESTIFY” over the destroyed table & The Destroyer. What an impressive sight. Without moving a muscle, D-Von still…… “GOT THE TABLES.” On to the tournament...
MATCH # 1 The Superb Destroyer & Chris Kamikaze faced off with “Mr. B” & Sean Nelson. The matches were randomly drawn & pitted these four against each other. All four of these guys are not liked by the BULLPEN PRO audience. These two teams spent the better part of the match trying to out cheat & outsmart each other. The Superb Destroyer was still favoring his sternum & head after taking that 3-D through the table. Kamikaze hit a running front gainer into a splash & a Mortal Kombat palm strike to the chest. The Destroyer hit a Despite the Destroyer & Kamikaze delivering most of the bigger & more impactful offence, “Mr. B” & Sean Nelson squeaked out the win when “Mr. B” caught The Destroyer with a super stiff elbow to the jaw & put his feet on the ropes to steal the 1, 2, 3.
MATCH #2 Frankie Valentine & Aaron Dallas faced off against Gemini & Lambo. Lambo is about 6’9” & Gemini is…. NOT…. 6’9”. So, these two make a very dynamic duo. Valentine & Dallas looked like a million dollars & both put on a pure wrestling clinic in the showdown. Lambo & Gemini gave it all they had, but the team of Valentine & Dallas just proved to be too much. Frankie scored the pinfall & they advanced to the next round.
MATCH #3 This was an amateur wrestling challenge match. This harkened back to the days of watching the Varsity Club in the late 80s. A kid named Dante was slinging a guy named Johnny around the ring and scoring points like a machine. Then “HE” showed up. Former Ranburne High School Alumna & Alabama State Wrestling Champion Zack “The Shooter” Buchanan stepped into the ring. When he hit the mat with Dante, it was time to sit back, because the wrestling clinic was about to begin. Buchanan tied Dante into knots. From nowhere, Dante hits Buchanan with a cheap shot & jumps Valentine from behind with a foreign object. Dante chokes Valentine with the pipe/pole until Valentine is actually foaming at the mouth. This was scary. Valentine was carted off to the back & the medical professionals who were on hand for the event had to go to work. I did hear that Valentine was stabilized by the end of the night, but we won’t know the extent of the injuries for a few days. This one has me worried, & no updates have been posted as to Valentine’s condition.
MATCH #4 The Standard (Jaden Vain & A J Black) faced off with Zack Buchanan & J-Rod. The crowd went back and forth as they voiced support for both teams. This was a hot match. The crowd got a rare look at two teams who were purely competing for the win & not taking shortcuts. The back & forth action was fierce. Finally, Buchanan went for a top rope Leg Drop & A J Black rolled out of the way. The final exchange saw Buchanan back on top as he hit Black with a Superplex. This drew the Superb Destroyer out to the ring. The Destroyer was heading for Buchanan but was cut off at the pass. Both J-Rod & Vain hopped off the ring apron & cut The Destroyer off before he got to the ring. While they were dealing with The Destroyer, Black managed to go from being on the receiving end of a vertical suplex to scoring an inside cradle on Buchanan for the 1, 2, 3. The Standard advanced to the next round.
MATCH #5 The Semi-Final round sees Sean Nelson & “Mr. B” square off with The Standard. The Standard could not overcome the heat & exhaustion of having just wrestled moments prior to this match. The crowd had The Standard’s back, but “Mr. B” was able to get his feet on the ropes for a another “cheat to win” ending. “Mr. B” & Sean Nelson advance to the finals.
MATCH #6 After the assault on Valentine, the team of Dallas & Valentine had to forfeit their spot in the next round of the tournament. That made way for the team of Lambo & Gemini to face “Mr. B” & Sean Nelson in the final match to determine the first ever BULLPEN PRO WRESTLING TAG TEAM CHAMPIONS. Gemini has had his ribs taped up after an injury he received at the hands of Lamar Phillips on July 13th. At the beginning of the match, Gemini can’t make it to the ring. “Mr. B” & Sean Nelson are demanding the championship titles, and they are going to be crowned the inaugural BULLPEN PRO WRESTLING TAG TEAM CHAMPIONS by default. When……………. Out of nowhere, Lambo & Gemini begin a slow limp to the ring. Gemini is in no shape to wrestle, but he tells BULLPEN CEO, Bull Buchanan, that he didn’t come here to lose. The crowd was totally behind Lambo & Gemini. Nelson & “Mr. B” go after Gemini & have no plans to ever let Lambo get into the ring. However, after a quick escape, the 6’9” Lambo came in & started to clean house. The end of the match saw Gemini roll up “Mr. B” to secure the BULLPEN PRO WRESTLING TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIPS for the team of Gemini & Lambo. What a feel great moment & an impressive ending to this show.
BULLPEN PRO WRESTLING will return to Ranburne High School on September 14th at 6:30 pm - Central Time (7:30 pm Eastern Time). If you are not coming to this show, you are missing the hottest ticket in Professional Wrestling.
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