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| Photos by Peter Sigmund |
Videos courtesy of Southern Honor Wrestling. Video can be watched on IWTV here.
And now for something completely different...
Video reviews are new territory for me, as I prefer to see the action live and in person. Also, it's basically the reason I haven't done many reports recently, so this will be differently for everyone.
As you can tell by the cover photo, Joe Black became a 2-time SHW Champion, defeating(spoiler) Judias. 5 title defenses tonight, all but one changed ownership, and a bunch of other surprises thrown in.
Delving into the video, a great as usual video recap package of all what lead up to this anniversary show.
Gerard Bonner and Brandon Benefield are on commentary with Diana Michel more than handling ring announcing duties. The referees are David Weakley, Paul Santa, and Jeremie Prater
1: Triple Threat Match for the SHW Tag Titles with No DQ: Nightmare Factory Tag Champs, The Infantry (Carlie Bravo and Shawn Dean) vs. The Hierarchy (Murder 1 and ?) vs. The Grapplers (Grappler #1 and #2 with Xander Seabolt and Chaynmale) (c)
Match was made when Bravo won the RumbleJack and inserted the Infantry into the match. No Kenway, a video shows him laying unconscious and bloody under a ladder somewhere. Joe Black comes out and will do double duty with working the opener and the main. The Grapplers don't want to even get into the ring and say they'll watch. They start to leave and the other teams attack them. Hierarchy and Infantry back in the ring and the match starts with Bravo and Black trading chops. Tons of history between everyone in this match.
Looks like Seabolt will be wrestling in this match with a Grappler. They take advantage of the No DQ rule of this match with the numbers game. A bunch of people have been singing the praises of Seabolt's in ring improvement, looks like he'll be up for an award this year.
A shaved scalped Judias comes out, grabbing Black and chokeslaming him onto a ringside table, Murder goes to check him out. More confusion in the ring, Seabolt taking the Boot Camp, Chayn getting into the ring, he gets a DDT for his trouble, and Bravo pins Seabolt to win the SHW Tag Tiles at 9:20.
New Champs! But how well will Joe Black be able to compete in the main event tonight.
Video plays recapping the Gary Lamb/Exotic Youth feud, which has been playing out for almost 3 years now.
2: Zach Mosley vs. SHW GM Gary Lamb. All members of the EY are barred from ringside.
Lamb breaks out some wrestling moves, but gets top rope stunned by Mosley and Mosley starts beating Lamb down. Action out on the floor, Mosley jawing with BB after ramming Gary into a support post. Gary grabs a chair and knocks whats left of Mosley's mullet off for the DQ at just about the 4 minute mark. Mosley wins by DQ, but Gary wants a few more pieces of Mosley and goes after Mosley again. Looks like the chair shot caused Mosley to bleed.
Officials drag Gary to the back. Mosley's on the mic, calling Gary back out, he comes back out, with the refs trying to keep him back. Mosley says Gary's his bitch.
Video recap of the implosion of the End Game to set up the next match.
3: Nick Halen vs CT Keys. Winner will become the #1 contender for the Jake "The Snake" Roberts championship.
Todd Sexton comes out and joins the commentary team. Multi award winning Halen vs. the vastly underrated (IMO) Keys. Sexton giving some great breakdown of Halen and Keys. Extended feeling out process for the first couple of minutes, Halen Zybysco's and goes and talks to Sexton for a tic. Keys gets fed up and chases Halen around the ring, delivering a clothesline to send Halen back out. More punishment to Halen out on the floor.
Halen seesawing in the ropes with punches from Keys. Sexton giving Keys some advice. Halen catches Keys coming through the ropes with a draping game breaker, but only gets a 1count on the pin attempt. Huge back body drop from Keys. Halen works the leg after Keys missed a running corner boot. Keys punches out of a sharpshooter attempt and kicks Halen out of the ring.
Halen works the leg on the ring apron and ring post. Sharpshooter using the ring post, yikes. Keys fighting back with European uppercuts. released German from Halen and Halen then lands a Macho elbow drop, Keys rolls out to prevent the pin. Halen tries for a spring board move from the corner, but gets a cutting edge (pounce) in mid air and gets the pin at almost 14 minutes.
Appropriately brutal, I love it.
Sexton in the ring, with a mic. Did they get it out of their system? Shake hands and move on. Halen doesn't want to and neither does Keys. Sexton tells them to, Halen offers his first, Keys shakes it with the accompanying stare down. Halen and Keys leave the ring, Sexton stays in the ring and he has some bad news.
It looks like the steel cage for the main event was never shipped to the building. Sexton brings back what happened at Still Here 5 where there was a casket match in which Judias won by putting David Ali in the casket. So instead of a steel cage match, it will now be a casket match between Joe Black and Judias for the SHW Title.
Video recap of what happened between Kyle Matthews and Hunter James.
4: 2 out of 3 falls match for the Jake "The Snake" Roberts Legacy Championship. Kyle Matthews vs "Hollywood" Hunter James (c) with Triston Michaels.
Michaels interrupts Michel's and does the intro for James. So damn smarmy.
First Fall: James tries to sneak a pin, but Kyle reverses for a crossface. James gets a foot on the rope. Match settles in a bit. Matthews gets James into a swinging, reverse Boston crab and knocks James' head into the bottom turnbuckle. I don't thing I've ever seen that! Michaels grabs Matthews' leg to get James back on track. Heat on Matthews with James targeting the neck. Crossface by James, Matthews gets his foot to the rope. James took too much time picking Matthews up and gets rolled up for the pin at about the 10 minute mark.
Second Fall: James shook off his shock quickly, punted Matthews, and hits the Brain Bussstaaaa for the pin in about 20 seconds.
Third Fall: James takes a couple of seconds to preen and trash talk Matthews. He goes for another one, Matthews blocks and inside cradles him and it's the start of dueling inside cradle pin attempt reverses. They release and Matthews goes for an locks in the crossface. James gets his foot on the rope with an assist from Michaels. Matthews takes out Michaels with a dive to the outside after James moved out of the way. James stomps on the arm of Matthews. Matthews locks in the crossface again. James rolls over, Matthews rolls it back over and into a Ring of Saturn and James screams out "I quit!" for a total match time of about 13 minutes.
And Neeeeewww Jake "The Snake" Roberts Legacy Champion: Kyle Matthews!
Video recap of Sal Rinauro and Paul Walter Hauser.
5: Sal Rinauro vs. Paul Walter Jauser.
Sal with a Cobra Kai inspire ring gear. Sal's operating on a different dimension. He's also been on a losing streak at SHW. PWH comes out handing out some headbands; it's his singles debut as he's been part of other matches at SHW. PHW has enough match experience to cause Sal some frustration and he rolls out of the ring. PWH follows but get caught re-entering the ring. Heat on PWH, looked like Sal had his middle finger dislocated and he snapped it back in. PWH catches Sal up top and powerslams him from the top turnbuckle. Sal with a low blow mule kick to PWH as he was in the ref's face. Diamond Cutter to PWH, but Sal takes waaaay to much time in covering and PWH gets a shoulder up.
They start trading blows; they even trade crane kicks. PWH lands a flat liner and gets the pin at just over 10 minutes.
wow.
Cornelius Pepperbottom comes out from the crowd and grabs the mic. He calls Gary Lamb a pussy. He was at a relatives birthday party and saw the beating Lamb got. Gary comes out with a bat and Pepps runs back out into the crowd. Lamb on the mic. He feels like he let the crowd down: at the November show, he challenges Pepps and Mosley to a street fight against himself and Gunner Miller. Lamb then mentions the October 25th benefit show that will feature SHW talent against the Turnbuckle Championship Wrestling talent. The main event will feature Nathan Mowery vs. Rhino for the DWA Ultraviolent Championship in an extreme rules match.
Video recap of Lev and Cody Fluffman.
6: Gauntlet match: Cody Fluffman vs. Lev's Faithful (Grayson Pierce, then Joey Hyter, then Alexander Lev). If Fluffman wins, Lev will stop using the Faithful gimmick, if he loses, he must join the Faithful.
Warden couldn't make the show due to the effects of Hurricane Helene. If you can, contribute to his family's GoFundMe here.
Hyter starts. My first time seeing Hyter in action, been hearing good things about him.
Fluff pins him with a gut wrench power bomb.
Fluff steam rolls Pierce right away. Heat on Fluff, but can't get his shoulders down for a 3-count. Another gut wrench power bomb puts away Pierce.
Hyter tries to sneak attack, but Fluff sends him into Pierce, so it's just Fluff and Lev. They start off by throwing punches, with Fluff punching Lev right out of the ring. They fight on the floor. Russian leg sweep by Lev into the barricade, yeouch! Fluff teeing off on Lev in the ring and gets a near fall. Lev dropping running elbows with very bad intentions. More strikes from Lev and gets a near fall. A video plays on the screen: It's David Ali! He address Lev, saying that you can only be faithful to a savior. Fluff almost sneaks in a pin there, and almost gets another fall a couple of seconds later. Pierce and Hyter cause distractions and Lev almost pins Fluff.
Fluff starts fluffing up, absorbing Lev's blows. Scoop power slam by Fluff, but Hyter and Pierce pull Lev out of the ring to prevent Fluff from doing a top rope move. Fluff flies through the ropes and onto all three. Fluff throws Lev back into the ring and splashes down onto Lev from the top rope and pins him.
The crowd roars their approval for this. The Faithful must be disbanded: Hyter and Pierce leave Lev and head to the back, Lev asks for a mic. He starts his intro, but stops himself. He's Alexander Lev and he's lost. Lev exits through the crowd.
Video recap of Krule and Ben Bishop.
7: IWTV World Championship match: "Big" Ben Bishop vs. The Atrocity Krule (c).
ACTION CEO Matt Griffin comes out and will do commentary, all the while drinking on the job.
This is my kind of match! Big, Meaty Men Slapping Meat!
what?
Tie-up test of strength inconclusive; Bishop starts striking, Krule fights it off. Krule goes for a flying cross body, Bishop catches him and throws Krule over his head and out of the ring. They fight out on the floor and around the ring. Bishop is really taking it to Krule and even chokeslams him for a near fall. Krule making his comeback, stringing together several moves to send Bishop off his feet.
Krule wants and sets up for a Scorched Earth, but Bishop runs him backwards, into the turnbuckles. Unfortunately, Ref David Weakley was in between Krule and the corner. Weakley now resembles a love bug on a car that was doing 85 on the interstate. Krule is able to chokeslam Bishop. Bishop chokeslams Krule, Krule sits up, Another chokeslam, Krule tries to sit up but can't make it up. Bishop calls for the IWTV belt from Griffin. Griffin grabs it, but music plays and Brooklyn Creed comes out and slaps Griffin in his mush. Krule plants Bishop with Scorched Earth and pins him at just over 8 minutes.
Griffin's back in the ring, snatching the mic from Diana, calling her a mic stand. He's mad at the crowd, inviting several to come over the barricade and fight him, then threatening to burn the building down. He presents 3 of the best independent wrestlers in the world.
8: Team ACTION wrestling all-stars (Jaden Newman, Adam Priest, and Kevin Ryan, with ACTION CEO Matt Griffin) vs. Team SHW (Ashton Starr, Owen Knight, and ?)
Starr and Knight wisely wait on stage for the reveal of their mystery partner and it's Sunny Daze! POP! Face off in the ring: Owen and Priest start off, might be hard to go into detail, it's a 3 hour show and it's my last day of vacation. Things quickly breakdown with everyone on the floor, then moonsaults start happening. Everyone trading off on offense. Yeah, I can't keep up with it.
Everyone except Ryan and Starr are laying flat on the floor. Ryan makes Starr tap, but Starr isn't the legal person, Ref Santa, makes Ryan break the hold. Griffin gets upset at Ryan, gets into the ring, and fires the man whom Griffin paid to be on his team, and gets in his face. Griffin will take his place and Ryan superkicks Griffin. Ryan takes off his Action shirt, revealing a SHW shirt. Sunny gives Griffin a corner cannonball, Knight tags in and gives Griffin a frog splash for the win at 10:04.
Starr wants a piece of Griffin as well, and he, Knight, and Ryan all slap Griffin, while Daze heads to the top turnbuckle. Splash from the top rope onto Griffin, I think he's now flatter than Weakley from earlier in the night. Starr is still undefeated at a Still Here show.
Diana leads the crowd in singing the Goodbye song to Griffin as he's scraped up and rolled out of ring.
Video recap of Joe Black and Judias.
Main Event: Casket Match for the SHW Championship: Joe Black with Murder 1 vs. Judias (c) with Todd Sexton. If Joe Black loses he will retire.
Great video package for Joe's intro, leading into the Castlevania themed entrance music with Murder 1 leading the way. Joe's ribs are wrapped up, plus he's got some therapy tape on his back. As everyone knows, wounded animals are the most dangerous.
Black attacks just as Diana started the intros. Judias Irish whips Black hard into the corner. Action out on the floor; metal always wins. Damn!! the barricade collapses when Black gets thrown into it! Another barricade shot. A third! Joe laid on the table and Judias misses a chair shot. Joe dodges a couple of shots and not all of them. Judias trying to put Joe in the casket, but Joe is able to roll into the ring. Joe counters a chokeslam and drags Judias into the casket. they trade strikes in the casket, with Judias using the lid on Joe's shoulder.
Joe lands a missle drop kick from the top, Judias sits up. Chokeslam from Judias. Sexton hands Judias a chain. Shot to the ribs, another, a third. Cruxifio attempt, Joe escapes but Judias spears him. The End Game members come out, M1 runs them off with a baseball bat. 3point stance by Judias, Sexton holds up Joe, Joe escapes and Judias spears Todd. Spear from Joe, and another, sets up and lands a third. Judias lands near the casket, Joe rolls him into the casket and shoves the lid down. Winner at 10:09 and New SHW Champion for the second time: Joe Black!
Murder 1 comes back out and celebrates with Joe. Judias climbs back into the ring, eyeballs Murder and holds out his fist, Joe wasn't sure. Judias picks up the title, hands it to Joe, offers his fist, Joe accepts this time and Judias even bumps Murder. Judias leaves and Joe goes out into the crowd to celebrate while BB, GB, and Diana end the show.
As mentioned, SHW and TCW will be doing a joint benefite show at the Action Building Oct 25th
And SHW will have their regular monthly show on Nov. 8th.
Final Thoughts.
watching this, makes me miss it even more. now I'm even more depressed.
Tons of action, loads of fun, a LOT of matches. I hope everyone stayed hydrated.
Still the best looking video packages and video in the state, IMO.
Anniversary/Big shows are designed to end things and also start new storylines.
Who will step up first to challenge Joe Black for the title?
Is Griffin finally gone from SHW?
The return of Gunner.
What can Fluff do now?
Who can face the Infantry?
Can Lev be found again? If you want flashlights and lanterns, I have extra!
The feud continues between EY and Lamb, will more blood be spilled?
Will Sal find his way?
Stay tuned!
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