12 Gauge Blowback 2025 -- Calhoun on August 10

From Jeremy "The Impact" York: Rome’s best wrestling took the show on the road to 365: The Spot in Calhoun and the crowd was sizzl...

From Jeremy "The Impact" York:

Rome’s best wrestling took the show on the road to 365: The Spot in Calhoun and the crowd was sizzling for their favorite superstars! The show starts with super promoter Rocky Shaw welcoming the crowd and hyping the loaded card for the night. Then he introduces our ring announcer and host for the evening, the incomparable Kyle Charisma. Kyle launches into how the crowd is there just to see him, but before he can get much further, Videographer Tenia “The Boss” Shaw convinces him to swap his microphone for the camera she holds in her hand. He eventually concedes to the trade and we are serenaded by a beautiful rendition of the National Anthem and we are ready for action! 

Match 1: (Referee Kevin Ozment) “The Modern Mid-Century Gentleman” Gerry Swirlz vs Christian Taylor vs Rico Bravo vs Warden: Triple team out of the gate on the big, bad Warden til he shoves them all away and rewards them with vicious clotheslines. Rico catches Warden with a hurricanrana that sends Warden into the ropes. Swirlz and Taylor team up to double clothesline him over the ropes to the outside. Bravo follows it up with a splash over the top rope on Warden as they both crash to the floor. Back in the ring, Swirlz and Taylor double up on Bravo with each breaking up a pin of the other going for the win. Then they turn on each other with Christian getting the early upper hand with farm-strong gut-wrench unassisted suplexes for Bravo, then Swirlz. Rico finds some offense with a running European uppercut in the corner followed by a bulldog for a two count. Gerry catches Rico with an exploder suplex for a two count. Camel clutch by Swirlz until Taylor puts on yet another brute strength suplex display on ALL three opponents! Bravo fights through Swirlz and Taylor with a double back elbow and jumping forearms for a two count. Slingblade from Rico, double German suplex by Taylor on Swirlz AND Bravo. Warden back in to drop Taylor with a spinning suplex, then a delayed suplex slam. Swirlz makes a valiant effort to snatch a late victory, but Warden cleared him and Rico from the ring before delivering a spine-tingling package piledriver for the win. 

 Winner—Warden via pinfall 

Match 2: (Referee Kyle Gunner) Troy Carter vs Brandon Darvin—The winner of the Gauntlet match at the last 12 Gauge show Troy Carter had to back up his performance by going toe to toe with Brandon Darvin. These two exchange deep wristlocks, headlocks then impressive dropkicks to show the crowd this one will be down to the wire. European uppercut in the corner followed by a double footstomp from the apron by Carter. Darvin catches Troy with a splash and jump kick as the action spilled to the outside. Carter uses a back release suplex on Brandon on the apron then a couple knife-edge chops the shook Darvin for a moment. Brandon suplexes Troy for a two count. Carter counters a DDT from Darvin with another suplex followed by five punches in the corner, Darvin delivers a Samoan drop, belly to belly suplex and a step-up enziguri that sends Troy rolling to the outside. Carter back to punish Darvin with an overhead rolling back- breaker. The finale of this one involved a superkick, senton, shotgun V-trigger kick…and finally a falcon arrow by Carter for the 1-2-3! 

Winner—Troy Carter via pinfall 

Match 3: (Referee Kevin) Lethal Gainz (Lamar Phillips, Chris Gainz) vs Beach
& Beyond (DRP, Space Cowboy)—The new (to 12 Gauge) team versus the grizzled veterans in tag team action. Space Cowboy and Chris Gainz to start for their teams. A couple lockups resulting in first Cowboy then Gainz being pushed into the corners with clean breaks. Chris finds a controlling headlock then gets dumped to the outside along with Phillips. DRP stands on the Cowboy’s shoulders and launches himself onto Chris and Lamar. Then Cowboy follows with a running attack through the ropes onto them all. Once back in the ring however, it was Lethal Gainz who took control with classic fresh tags and attacks, doubling their efforts when the moment called for them to. They perform their vintage high five ear pop on Space. Then a textbook sidewalk slam from Phillips. Chris tags in just in time to eat a super kick from DRP for a two count. Phillips back in as DRP drops his grasp with a jawbreaker. Space back into the match flying into Lamar til the resident powerhouse smashes him down. Cowboy finds just enough energy to tag in his partner as DRP uses his speed to keep Phillips on his heels. DRP’s slingblade gets a two count. Gainz and Phillips have had enough though and quickly send Cowboy flailing so they can execute the fallback flatliner with a top rope double foot stomp for the victory! 

Winners—Lethal Gainz (Lamar Phillips, Chris Gainz) via pinfall 

Match 4: (Referee Kyle) “Agent” Chad Skywalker vs “Wrestling Sensation” AJ Black—One of the best up and coming talents in Black versus one of the best in the South Skywalker in a first-time ever match up! Lockup then a clean break. Go behind for Chad them multiple reversals by both. AJ with a deep wristlock. The two exchange incredible chain-wrestling counters including twists, turns, spins and more. Black uses some wicked arm drags before settling for a headlock to keep “Agent” Skywalker on the defensive early. Once both get back to their feet it’s AJ with the power strikes and elbows that rock Chad for a brief moment. Lots of running attacks and counters from both, they exchange menacing chops. Chad catches AJ off guard with a dropkick for a one count. Black drop toeholds Skywalker into the second turnbuckle, then pulls him into the air from the corner causing Chad to crash onto the mat and a one count for Black. Blacks shoulders into the midsection of Skywalker in the corner, then a hard throw into the turnbuckles gave him a near win but Skywalker kicked out at two and a half. A rear chin lock for AJ was only remedied by the running knee strike from Chad. A slugfest broke out that was only ended AJ used a double underhook slam into an arm submission attempt. Chad sees his chance for a roll up and gets a two and seven sixteenths! V-trigger kick by Skywalker and a trademark second-rope moonsault for a two and a half count. Hard clotheslines by Black complimented by a swinging neckbreaker for another near three count. Skywalker back up with the go behind grasp on Black, schoolboy roll up and “Agent” Skywalker with the win! After the bell, Chad invites AJ back into the ring and this match ends how it started: with a mutual respect handshake. 

Winner—“Agent” Chad Skywalker via pinfall 

Rocky and Kyle have some good banter about the show then they present the newest superstar in 12 Gauge, Roxxi! After some live auctions for signed posters go out, Rocky gets another idea that is even better: let’s raise some funds to see Roxxi slap Kyle Charisma! As the money pours into the ring, Roxxi unleashes a bone-rattling smack to the cheek of Charisma who drops like a cheap suit to the canvas! 

Match 5: (Referee Kevin) Vivian Cross vs Eden Monroe—Eden attempted to make a speech and dozens of takes later succeeded. The crowd ate it up and was mostly on team Eden to start the contest. Vivian began the match with a quick jumping spin kick, then a splash on the apron as Monroe tried to roll away. Once on the outside it was Eden with the sidewalk slam on Cross on the apron to even the contest. Back in the ring, Monroe with the quick legdrop for a two count. Rear chinlock from Eden followed by a choke using the second rope. Vivian found some energy though and pulled off a radical hurricanrana on Monroe. Eden gathered it together, executing a codebreaker from the second rope for a two count. Suplex to gut buster on Cross. Monroe climbs to the top rope, met by Vivian who smashes the back of Monroe with a superplex! A slugfest ensues then dropkick from Vivian and spinning wheel kick in the corner on Monroe, Cross gets a two and five sixty-fourths count after a five-star frog splash from the top. Crusifix bomb from Cross gets another close count, but Eden kicks out. Pedigree bomb from Monroe for a two and a half count then a rollup attempt by Cross. Monroe kicks out, gets up quickly and sets up the Unprettier for the 1-2-3! 

Winner—Eden Monroe via pinfall 

Match 6: (Referee Kyle) Zack Buchanan vs Zack Dye (w/ Dan the Manager)—Buchanan gains control quickly with a powerful shoulder block. Dye with the hip toss to keep his foe off balance. They lock up. Arm drag by Buchanan, Dye battles back with quick strikes. Buchanan with the picture perfect Northern Lights suplex for a two count. Buchanan utilizes kicks to the back and a running uppercut to garner control once more. Dye (who “will not die”) finds his footing and climbs to the top for a frog splash…quick two count. Drive by jumping double boot from Dye on Buchanan, followed by a suplex for a two and a quarter count. Official gets caught up in trying to control the action and misses Buchanan stretching his leg to counter a go behind waist lock by Dye that catches him a little low. Buchanan drops an immortal legdrop for a two and seven sixteenths count. Buchanan to the top rope for a bigger leg drop but misses. Dye with the hidden blade elbow smash for the victory! 

Winner—Zack Dye via pinfall 

Match 7: (Referee Kevin) Main Event: “The Devil” Ryan Marx vs Chris Crunk (w/ Joey Gambino & Roxxi)—On the way to the ring, Crunk stops to tell me to write that he is really handsome (there you go Chris). Bell sounds as Crunk ducks a couple Marx attacks but not a wristlock. Chris does counter out and Ryan gets an even deeper arm bar on him for his efforts. Crunk with a wicked ab stretch on Marx, kicks Ryan’s knees, then a knife-edge chop. Marx reverses Chris’s next attack, counters with a rear back elbow and enziguri. Ryan rolls to the outside and finds himself seated in a random chair as Crunk runs at him. At the last second Ryan gets out of the way, and the crowd boos him for his decision. Back in the ring it’s “The Devil” with a single leg Boston crab. As he wrenches on the leg of Crunkk, Chris agonizingly stays in the fight. Marx decides a rear crossface is the better way to achieve his goal and once again Crunk is fighting hard to stay in the match. Chris gets away and runs at Ryan who grabs him in a spinning powerslam! Delayed suplex gives Marx a two and three quarters count, but not the win yet. A choke of Crunk on the second rope only garners a referee warning for Ryan who does not look amused by the officials complaint. Chris battles back however with a thundering five-arm blow to Marx who rolls to the outside, resting on the random chair from before. This is the moment Crunk is waiting for as he sprints around the ring launching himself at Marx who catches ALL of the flying attack right in the face! Ryan goes scattering across the floor. A SUPER super kick by Chris gets a near but not quite three count. Crunk tries the sunset flip roll up for another two count, Ryan with the urinagi and senton for a two of his own. German suplex from Chris, lariat by Ryan, who goes to the top rope for the over castle and another two count! Marx to the second rope, Crunk kicks him. Superplex from the sky by Crunk! Goes for the GTS and hits it! This could be it for Crunk. Black mass kicks from the corner on Marx who counters with the sister Abigail reverse flatliner and his Lethal Gainz stablemates storm the ring! 

Beach and Beyond, Warden and Luhh Jayy scramble after the power faction. Gainz tries to call the bluff of Crunk who super kicks him out of the ring! Lethal Gainz then decides discretion is the better part of valor and retreat to the back. 

Crunk grabs a microphone for a heart-felt speech of how he was not sure wrestling was still something he wanted to do. Then Rocky Shaw sent him a message, and another….and another. Until he said “yes” and showed up to face “The Devil” Ryan Marx. Crunk also said that it was during this match that the roar of the crowd reminded him that maybe there’s a lot more left in the tank and finished by saying he is “12 Gauge for life”! 

Winner—(by DQ) Chris Crunk 

Takeaways: 

 -This show was loaded with talent and first-time match ups that did not disappoint. The crowd was into it and really stayed loud for a majority of the time. 

-The fatal four-way was bell to bell action. Swirlz is a work-horse mechanic. Bravo utilizes his speed and ingenuity to keep his opponents guessing. Taylor is the closest thing to a psychotic Cesaro as there ever was. Warden is one of the best big men in the area by far. 

-Eden and Vivian came in with a lot of mystery and hype…and were worth every bit of it. Such a great performance by each that the crowd really popped for. 

-Lethal Gainz are one of the best tag teams in the South. Beach & Beyond held their own a bit with them, but could not contend with the multi-tag champions. Not many teams can. 

-Troy Carter picked up a solid win over Darvin where he got a chance to show more of what he is about than in a chaotic gauntlet. When will he cash in his title shot? That is the big question. 

-Battle of the Zacks was a fun match up where Buchanan did not have to convince the crowd to not cheer him much because Dye had about 2/3 of the crowd behind him from the start. Feather in his cap to get a W over Buchanan and great performance from Buchanan to show his range as an all around great talent. 

-AJ Black did a good job staying up with Chad Skywalker. Black is one of the best up and comers in the area, Chad one of the best in the South. Hope to see part two of this sooner rather than later. 

-Crunk very much still has it. Makes it real hard to cheer against him and he is still very fluid in the ring. If this is the resurgence of a recharged Chris Crunk, then look out to anybody who steps in against him. 

-“The Devil” Ryan Marx was tested big time by Crunk. He held up his end of the fight and then some. I’m sure Walker XIII was watching from afar and knows when these two tangle again soon, it will not be the same fight he got last time. When Marx turns that switch to the “dark, twisted side” of himself, he might be one of the more dangerous men in the ring. 

-Attendance was close to 100 paying fans that almost maxed out what the Fire Marshall would allow in the building. Rocky took 12 Gauge on the road and may have found a second home for the promotion.