From Larry Goodman:
Behold the pale horse and the man that rode on him was death.
-- Revelation 6:8
Brother Azriel's remarkable comeback story took another huge step forward Friday night at the ProSouth Palace. Just as Azriel returned from a diabetic coma that took him out of action for months, he survived a knockout blow from Joe Black in the eight man "team of killers" match that opened the show and returned to win the 2025 Battle Rumble.
Azriel earned the right to face the man on the pale horse threatening annihilation, ProSouth Champion Scott Spade at Anniversary Supershow. And Az still has a rematch with Joe on deck.
Dual champion Spade had a predicament of his own to overcome in the form of triple threat title defense against two former champions. Spade retained the Pro South Championship against Caeden Ooten and Christian Pierce.
BattleRumble was a soul-crushing experience for Chosen Ones Ace Haven and Cameron Keast. Ace was not only denied a chance to avenge his loss to Spade in Three Stages of Hell and rid ProSouth of his nemesis, it was best friend Keast who eliminated him from the match.
Keast's night got off to a storybook start with a win over former WWE talent Leon Ruffin. But his dream of winning his second consecutive BattleRumble and going on to become a three-time champion at Anniversary was shattered and his friendship with Ace may be fractured once again.
Wicked Nemesis and Matthew Gibson were the commentary team. Brandon Whatley had trans issues (more on that later). Gibson also pinch hit as the ring announcer. Jeremy Blackstone, Joseph Void and T-Bird were the referees. Katie Lindsey was the ringside videographer.
(1) Joe Black & Tony Midas & Chris Gainz & Bubba Cagle (with Scott Adams) defeated Brother Azriel & Julius Pryor & Eric Silva & Justin McKenzie (with Mathias Darkthorne) in an eight main elimination match (15:54). Joe's team had not been revealed prior to the match. Former tag team champions Az and Midas collided early in the proceedings. That did not end well for Midas. Cagle released a barrage of back elbows on Pryor. Pryor got his aerial game in gear against Gainz. When Gainz took a powder, Joe took advantage of ProSouth's lucha rules to bludgeon Pryor from behind and it was goodbye Julius at 6:38. Joe took his hoodie off. Silva picked Joe apart with the pinpoint accuracy of his strikes. Midas pulled out his trusty can of hair spray to blind Silva and Black pinned Silva with a spear at 9:19. Az's team was at a two man disadvantage but he quickly rectified that situation with a black hole slam on Gainz at 10:17. Black blasted Az from behind. McKenzie entered with a slingshot DDT and a swanton on Joe. Ever the hothead, Cagle got himself disqualified with a belt shot on McKenzie at 11:17. Midas caught McKenzie unaware with a full nelson into a cutter to eliminate him at 12:05. Midas and Az squared off again. Midas went for his finisher. Az slipped away and leveled Midas with a lariat at 13:38.
Down to Joe and Az, one-on-one. Joe tested Az. He withstood Joe's onslaught. Referee T-Bird got caught in the path of Az's corner splash. Joe kicked Az in the groin and hit the kill shot back elbow to the base of Az's skull. Az was out cold. Joe hauled T-bird over to make the count. Joe defiantly stared a hole through Az before heading to the back.
Lots to like about this match. Cagle has the best assortment of back elbows around. Gainz as a member is a feather in Karmageddon's cap. The mere presence of Joe Black on the receiving end of Silva and McKenzie's offense raised their stature. I enjoyed the Primacy call back. Midas is a character. His use of facial expressions was always his strong suit. The last two minutes between Joe and Az was pitch perfect.
Brandon Whatley appeared via video to air his grievances. Whatley said Amy Haven cancelled the Serpent's Lair, alleged to be the highest rated segment in ProSouth history. Whatley also bitched about Amy not providing a driver to bring him to the show tonight. Whatley implied he was coming for her hair.
(2) Cameron Keast defeated Leon Ruffin in 9:58. Ruffin almost ended it in the first 90 seconds with a sunset flip and cradle pin. Keast showed frustration with his inability to make any headway. He had a chance to snap Ruffin's fingers but couldn't bring himself to do the deed. Ruffin slapped him. Psycho Cam was activated. Keast unleashed a fury of strikes. Ruffin fired back. Ruffin stomped a mudhole in Keast and walked it dry but Keast got his knees up on Ruffin's frog splash. Both men were slow to rise. Keast's Keyblade was good for two count. Ditto Ruffin's springboard corkscrew cutter. They jockeyed for position on the ropes. Keast was looking for a powerbomb. Ruffin countered with a rana. Keast drilled Ruffin with a running knee and crawled for the cover. Ruffin shocked Keast by kicking out. Ruffin had Bloody Tears scouted and dropped Keast with a rebound lariat. Ruffin went back to the well with the corkscrew cutter. Keast was braced for it and hit Bloody Tears to rack up the victory.
Postmatch, Ruffin accepted Keast's handshake and hug.
"Both these guys" type matches not ProSouth's style so this match was refreshingly off the beaten path. Keast rose to the occasion. They did some nice counter wrestling in the closing minutes. Wicked called it the biggest win of Keast's career.
Next up was a short video clip from AJ Black saying he would be at the ProSouth Palace on September 26 for a face-to-face with Pryor.
(3) Scott Spade defeated Caeden Ooten (with Harley Haven) and Christian Pierce in a triple threat match to retain the ProSouth Championship in 8:40. Along with the green being gone, Harley switched from pants to a skirt and got rid of the Chuck Taylor's. Spade was more than happy to be let off the hook in the early going while Pierce and Ooten went at each other. The match transitioned to fierce three way action. Highlight here was Pierce using Spade"s back as a platform for a Claymore kick on Ooten. Spade hit a stunner on Pierce and he rolled out. Ooten speared Spade and Pierce grabbed the ref's hand to block a three count. An exchange of hate-filled strikes left all three men on the canvas. PIerce frog splashed Spade. Ooten swooped in with Loaded Gun Complex on Pierce and was beside himself when Pierce kicked out. C went for another LGC and ate the Copenhagen kick from Spade. For the third time in the match, an opponent escaped Spade's clutches by rolling to the floor. Spade grabbed Big Blue out of his corner. Pierce ducked the belt shot and had the champion pinned with Once Bitten. Harley pulled the ref out of the ring. Pierce threw the ref aside got in Harley's face. Ooten saw red and inadvertently speared Harley. Pierce got a visual three count on the champion with the ref still down on the outside. Spade clocked Pierce with Big Blue to retain.
A solid three way. They did everything under the sun except take the title off Spade. Good to see Ooten bring the Honor Roll double underhook slam out of mothballs. Thumbs up for Harley's new look. She's got her mother's legs and doesn't need to be wearing pants.
(4) Brother Azriel won a 30 man BattleRumble in 50:21 to earn a ProSouth title match at Anniversary SuperShow. Competitors in order of entrance: Keast, DRP, McKenzie, Gainz, Samuel Dotson, Christian Garrett, Roma Miller, Wyn Brantley, Jon Averson, Pierce, Jasper Reid, Silva, Trey Jordan, T-Bird, Pryor, Ooten, Midas, Damon Thomas, Ravanna Xin, Ruffin, Adams, Joe Black, Vougan, Sean Nelson, Azriel, Amy Haven, Cagle, Ace Haven, Security Guy Jamie and Ayden Andrews.
A new competitor entered roughly every 90 seconds. DRP started the match and and hung in for 41 minutes. Wicked called him the Panama City Prick. Pierce entered with cannonballs in all four corners. Reid wrestled wearing his Alpaca ass hair coat.TH3 Draw (Reid, Brantley and Dotson) did a disgusting dance sequence that went on forever. Wicked said he's had bowel movements that were better and these were not the sins Jesus died for. A number of other talents in the match "auditioned" for a spot and got rejected. Silva singlehandedly got rid of the entirety of TH3 Draw. The sequence with T-Bird as fun. He was forced to do an assisted rana and a rocket launcher before Gainz eliminated him with a fallaway slam. Midas had no friends Ruffin was firing off enzuigiris like a machine gun. Xin eliminated her brother in law. Amy slapped a few people before Joe placed her on the apron to gently get her out of the match. Adams tased Jamie and took his spot to reenter the match.
Azriel, Joe, Ooten, Ace, Andrews, Cagle, Keast and Adams. Andrews eliminated his former partner Cagle. Azriel laid Joe out with the Wood Grain and gave him the heave ho. Joe stuck around ringside and blasted Az with a chair shot. Former Atonement members Pierce and Andrews members momentarily squared off with Keast and his former "Kid" Caeden. Keast wasn't happy about Ace being the one that got to eliminate Ooten. Keast shoved Ace and went over the top rope. Keast acted like it wasn't intentional. Ace was furious and decked one of the refs. Andrews and Pierce teased a revisit of their feud, then released their aggression on Keast with a Once Bitten/Nail In The Coffin combo and Keast was out. Az ran wild on Pierce and Andrews but could not overcome the odds. They dumped over the top but Az stayed on the apron and pulled them both over the top for the apparent victory. Adams had been hiding on the outside. He tried to shove Az to the floor but the other babyface kept him on the apron. Keast, Pierce and Andrews all hit their finishers on Adams. Az gave Adams the Woodgrain and threw him over the ropes.
The final minutes was choice material. It came down the major players and unfolded in dramatic fashion with tons of callbacks. Azriel scored the decisive elimination of Joe he had to have. Keast eliminating Ace was a surprise, Ace's fit of anger not so much. I loved the finish -- ProSouth's top babyfaces, all have lost their chance for a title match, rallying around Az to give him a shot at victory. Amy, T-Bird and Xin were fun surprise entrants. Xin doing spots with brother-in-law Ruffin was fun Adams entering twice was in synch with his slimy, neurotic character. It's great to have a veteran ring general who can go like Gainz on the roster.
The match contained a large helping of shit salad topped with shit shavings. Averson was terrible. TH3 Draw's interminable dance segment was one of ProSouth's perverse wrestling entertainment classics. It was hugely disappointing that neither Alexander Lev or Bull Buchanan, two of the top names advertised did not make the show.
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