Last Man Standing was a top tier show from Southern Fried.
Classics Champion and Crusade ringleader Hunter James made a successful title defense in an impromptu match with Sexton Alliance monster-in-residence Judias.
The match had significant consequences. James won the right to name the stipulation for the next high stakes match between the warring factions. Bobby Moore of Sexton Alliance was rushed to the hospital after taking a blow to the eye from a hammer.
The match the show was named for did not produce a definitive outcome. The feud between Georgia Heritage Champion Will Kaution and Mr. Landmark Arena himself, Jacob Ashworth is not over and that is all for the good.
The much-ballyhooed confrontation between ACTION CEO Matt Griffin and David Manders was everything it was cracked up to be and more. Griffin's son, Brontz stole the show.
Manders has a decision to make about the stipulation Griffin put forth in order for Manders to get a chance to fight him.
Sal Rinauro retained the Southern Fried Championship in a title match that almost 25 years in the making.
Best match of the night was a toss up between Rinauro/Seth Delay, Judais/James and a a match up of two of Georgia's elite, Bryce Cannon and Nick Halen.
The show drew a boisterous crowd of 300+ to the Walton County Boys and Girls Club Gym. The show had good heat overall but the best heat was for anything involving Crusade and/or Sexton Alliance.
(1) Christian Taylor vs. Dennis Glass was 3 minute no contest. The Crusade marched down the ring and attacked Taylor, who had refused to join Crusade when given the opportunity. He took finishers from everybody. After James dumped Taylor out of the ring like trash, Crusade turned their attention to Glass. Kat speared him. James said Crusade was holding the show hostage. The cocophany in the gym was so loud James was being drowned out.
Manders came to the ring to tell James your on my time, you work for me.
Sexton Alliance appeared in the aisle. Halen said if he wanted to see people cry a like a bitch he would watch politics on TV. That line popped me.
Manders said he had enough on his plate tonight, you people work it out.
James wanted to know where Todd Sexton was at and if Kelly Sexton wanted Kat Spencer to put her to sleep again. Halen said he told Todd to say home tonight.
James made a double or nothing proposal. He would put his Classics title on the line against any member The Alliance and if he won, Crusade got to name the stipulation. The Alliance huddled up and accepted James' terms. Halen explained the various excuses the Alliance member had not to wrestle James tonight except... Judais' music hit. Huge pop. Judais said he would be Hunter's huckleberry. He intimidated Tayo to where it was good thing he wasn't wearing white tights.
Cleverly done. The heat threatened to break the decibel meter. I wasn't alone onep popped by Halen's politics line. Manders saying he couldn't deal with it was an unexpected turn of events.
(2) Hunter James (with Joey Hyder & Tayo & Kat Spencer) defeated Judais (with Nick Halen & Bobby Moore & Billy Buck & Kelly Sexton) to retain the Classics Championship in 12:33. James bailed at bell. Judais caught up with James and bounced him around. Judais dared Tayo to him him. Kat got in Judais' face. James capitalized with three consecutive topes. Judais was rocked but did not go down. James caught a weakened Judais with a gamebreaker as he reentered the ring. James kept the pressure on with as sense of urgency. James was able to execute a deadlift german but Judais kicked out at one. A superkick dropped Judais face first. James got over skis with a choke slam attempt. Judais drilled James into the mat with a choke slam. A wild brawl broke out at ringsie between Crusade and the Alliance. Kat wanted to sue the belt but Kelly got it away from her. Kat went after Kelly. That belt was like a hot potato in Kelly's hands. Judais speared James. Hyder put Hunter's foot on the ropes. Judais applied a single leg crab. The bell rang and Judais released the hold. But it was Tayo that rang the bell. Moore went for Tayo, who hit Moore in the face with the hammer. James rolled Judais up using the tights.
Alliance rushed over to Moore.
Todd Sexton booking with all the bells and whistles and wall-to-wall heat. When it comes to a monster selling believably for a normal-sized wrestler, Judais has no peers. James showed his versatility in a match that was an entirely different kettle of fish than the one he had at SHW the night before. Kat vs. Kelly was a tremendously entertaining diversion. Kat keeps daring them to do it but no man at Southern Fried has been willing to strike Kat. That damn is bound to break. This is not goingn to end well for Tayo.
A cameraman shot video of Sexton Alliance getting in a car to take Moore to the hospital.
(3) Madstreet (Michael Stevens & Sunny Daze with Sal Rinauro) defeated Wonder Boyz (Aaron Dallas & Ethan Dallas) in 7:24. Stevens used the ropes to upend Ethan. Madstreet isolated Ethan and dished out punishment. AD cleaned house on Stevens and had him pinned after a Hart Attack-style flying leg drop by Ethan. Daze tossed Ethan on the pile to break it up. Madstreet hit a Samoan Drop/neckbreaker combo on AD and Daze pinned him.
A decent palate cleanser match between two big segments. AD has greatly improved his punches.
David Manders called out Matt Griffin. Manders said the "Kingpin of Georgia Wrestling" was an asshole. Griffin came to the ring accompanied by his 10 year-old son Brontz attired to match his father. The crowd was giving Griffin hell. Griffin said so this is what's it like to be invited to Southern Fried. Manders said Brontz didn't belong in the ring. Brontz stood in front of Griffin scowling at Manders with his arms crossed. Griffin said he was teaching his son the business by bringing him to the building where things used to happen and used to be important. Manders said he didn't need to win any promoter of the year award and didn't care about Larry Goodman's reports. He promoted wrestling because he loved it. All week long, he went to work at his blue collar job. Griffin said he came to Monroe last Thanksgiving because he thought the fans deserved better but they were such losers they didn't want what he was offering.
Griffin invited Manders to hit him, then crouched down behind Brontz. Manders said if not for Brontz being there, he would. Griffin said he didn't work for free. He laid Manders out with the roll of quarter for free but he would not fight Manders unless he got paid.
Griffin had an idea. He would fight Manders on the condition that if he won, Shindig (Southern Fried's anniversary event) would be presented by ACTION Wrestling. He would give Manders until the Southern Fried's next show on May 3 to decide and fight him on May 17 if Manders agreed to his condition.
Manders and Griffin were both great here. They presented themselves as two sides of the same coin - promoting pro wrestling. Manders the egoless everyman, doing it for the love of the game, Griffin the ruthless businessman with an overblown sense of self-worth. I couldn't take my eyes of Brontz and wondered how Manders was able to keep a straight face.
(4) Jacob Ashworth vs. Will Kaution Last Man Standing was ruled a no contest at 16:52 when neither man was up by the count of 10. Ashworth was laying wait as Kaution came through the curtain. They brawled all around the building before entering the ring for the first time. Kaution delivered a trio of top rope elbows. Ashworth was up at the count of seven. The fell off the apron and crashed through the timekeeper's table together. Ashworth struggled to his feet just before the ten count after taking a springboard cutter. Kaution followed up with a cutter onto a steel chair. Ashworth rolled out a standing position. Kaution rolled Ashworth back into the ring. Ashworth was up by the count of seven. Kaution tried for a springboard cutter. Ashworth caught Kaution and hit Ashes to Ashes. Both men were wrecked and unable to stand.
(5) Bryce Cannon defeated Nick Halen in 7:55. Cannon was channeling the classics -- he took the Ric Flair slam off the top and did a Rockbottom. Halen evaded Cannon's People's Tip headbutt and made a rip-roaring comeback. Halen was perched for the top rope elbow when the Crusade provided the distraction Cannon needed. Halen escaped the Keg Stand applied a sharpshooter. Crusade members jumped up on all four sides of the apron. Cannon capitalized with the Keg Stand for the win.
This was an excellent eight minute match with both competitors displaying their technical chops.
Cannon ushered Crusade into the ring. Halen was surrounded. Halen said a four letter word rarely uttered in the Boys and Girls Club Gym and tried to take on all four of the Crusade. Halen was beaten down. Todd Sexton ran in from a side door and hit the ring and he was beaten down. A large masked man, clearly Rob Adonis, made his way to the ring. He beat up Tayo and Hyder and was about to give Todd a choke bomb but Halen stopped him. The masked man clutched his head like he was trying to keep it from exploding and headed to the curtain.
The masked Adonis is evidently extremely conflicted and possibly suffering from multiple personality disorder. He's a campy character that sets him apart from the usual.
(6) Sal Rinauro defeated Seth Delay via submission to retain the Southern Fried Championship in 21:05. Wrestling~! Sal clapped. Seth slapped. They did a sensational marathon of spots running the ropes. The crowd ate it up. Rinauro pulled Delay's shirt over his head and administered the 10 beats. Sal was getting heat. Delay countered Rinauro's handspring stunner attempt with a dropkick to the back of the head. Delay clutched at his ankle after a crash and burn pescado. The kids in the crowd were getting to Sal with their taunts. Delay got teabagged during an awkward battle on the ropes. Delay connected with a pair of corner dropkicks a northern missile dropkick. Sal hit the Tiger Driver for a close near fall, and got another with a superkick. Stevens and Daze came to ringside. Sal spit on Delay. A slapfest ensued. Delay broke out the Overnite Sensation, a poison rana and the Kool Krusher. Stevens pulled Rinauro out of the ring to save him from being pinned. Delay did a flip dive onto Stevens and Daze. Delay tried to reenter the ring with a crossbody off the top. Rinauro rolled through and locked in the heel hook, forcing Delay to tap.
They went out and worked their asses off for over 20 minutes and had a great match. In their forties, these guys can still really go. In a perfect world, it would have taken place at the Landmark Arena. In all their years as stars in that building, neither Rinauro or Delay ever held the main title belt. Rinauro got two shots at Anarchy Heavyweight Championship. Delay received but one.
Madstreet was setting up for a belt shot on Delay when CT Keys came through the curtain to a big pop. As Keys hit the ring, Rinauro took a powder. Keys tossed Stevens out of the ring and choke slammed Daze. Rinauro thought better of confronting Keys and left with his title belt.
The Southern Fried fans love Keys as their babyface badass. Boy, did Daze get up for that choke slam or what?
NOTES: Southern Fried will run shows on May 3 (Lethal Lottery) and May 17 leading into Shindig on June 7...Adam Vance and Xander Seabolt commentated for the video release...Darryl Hall backstage as he often is when not booked on a Southern Fried night...David Weakley, Bryan Waites and Dee Byers officiated...John Johnson was the ring announcer.
