From Larry Goodman:
This event emanated from Wild Wings Cafe, the site of the 2023 Georgia Wrestling History Awards. It's quirky place for a pro wrestling show with people seated in booths and at tables eating their wings in the background. The crowd stayed pretty lively for the duration. The run time of the main show was just shy of three hours.
The card was loaded with talent from WWA4 and featured a number of stars from other places, most notably GCW Champion Effy, SHW Champion Joe Black and former MLW World Champion Alex Kane.
Friday Night's Best Event 2 was a good show. I have to think it would have been a better show for this audience at two and half hours in length rather than three. None of the matches over 10 minutes long would have suffered by having a few minutes shaved off.
DWA has stepped up their production. The video quality and camera work were excellent. They've added replays, which were well used in the video. The venue was well lit.
Don Miguel and Vivian Cross handled the commentary. Miguel is the regular play-by-play guy for DWA. First time out for Cross on color. They were informative and an easy listen. The referees were Paul Santa and Anthony Rivera. Tim Blanchard was the ring announcer.
Pre-Show:
(A) King Cole defeated Chuck Redfield and Rodney Rocket in a triple threat. Cole pinned Rocket with a belly to belly slam.
(B) Big Bucks defeated Don Cameron & Alexandra Quinn. Cameron tagged in a lost the match for his team. Quinn crashed out on Cameron.
Not much to see here except Quinn, who is always interesting to watch.
Main Show:
(1) Title vs. Title: SHW Champion Joe Black vs DWA Champion Neji Ichiban (with Stella Randy) was ruled a no contest at 11:34. Black set out to dismantle Ichiban. He shoved Randy. Ichiban exploded. He got a close near fall with a Northern LIghts Bomb. They traded heavy blows. Ichiban had Black in position for Scarlet Overdrive when he was attacked by the man he beat for the DWA title, Grayson Pierce.
Commentary smartened up the viewers to the back story -- Ichiban prevented Pierce from becoming the number one contender at Bruised & Infused 5.
Pierce laid Black and Ichiban out with superkicks and stood on Ichiban holding the title. Black showed respect for Ichiban.
I liked the match but not as an opener for a crowd that was majority casual fans. They needed to get to the angle sooner. Ichiban is rising to the occasion as the DWA Champion.
(2) Alex Kane defeated Dave Stage in 6:06. Stage is in tremendous shape and has shaved his head. Power vs. power. Kane speared Stage, pulled the straps down and pinned him with a Perfect Plex.
(3) OXP defeated Shoota Gabe via DQ in 9:20. Grappling vs. Martial arts. Chayn Male got on the apron to start crap with OXP. OXP blocked a belt shot from Gabe so Gabe kicked him the balls right in front of the ref.
The Apex dog packed OXP until Golden Class made the save.
(4) Eddie Hindrixx defeated Leo Dagrb to retain the King of the South Championship in 11:33. Dagrb speared Hindrixx right out of the gate. HIndrixx broke out some long distance Biel throws and ate Dagrb up with suplexes. Dagrb did a middle rope 450, a stalling suplex and an Angle Slam. Alex Kane joined commentary and said some of these dudes with their movesets were like his sons. Hindrixx hit a spinning Last Ride sitout powerbomb leading into the finish. Dagrb had Tour of the Planet scouted so Hindrixx beat him with a spear.
High impact match. I love me some Eddie Hindrixx. The strong style influence set this match apart from the rest of the show.
(5) Mr. Danger defeated Jay Tyler to retain the DWA Ultraviolent Championship in 10:36. Tyler used a license plate and a car wrench. Tyler dropped Danger on his face with this crazy release overhead cradle move. Hindrixx and Dagrb brawled their way back to ringside and served as a landing pad for an out-of-control Asai moonsault variation by Danger. There was killer spot near the finish where Tyler put Danger through a door with the Grooveline (spear). Danger went coast-to-cast with a dropkick through a door with Tyler trapped underneath and pinned him with the Obliteration (450 splash).
They stayed away from the ultavioent stuff that would have been inappropriate for a wings place. Tyler got showcase his power. Danger's aerial moves were getting a reaction because has such great ups on them.
(6) Terry Yaki & Jazzy Yang (with Jazzy's sister) defeated Prince Moulay & The Southern Belle" Isabella Wilder (with Isabella's mother) in 11:36. Yang cut a promo that got a lot of heat. She put over her own greatness and said like daughter Bella, momma was washed up Hooter's waitress. Yang's sister interfered liberally to help Yaki and Jazzy get and maintain control. In the end, Jazzy choked Wilder out while Yaki held Moulay at bay.
Best crowd engagement of any match on the show. They hooked them with an easily accessible story. Rookies Moulay and Wilder both showed potential. There's a cocky brashness about Moulay's presence but Yaki babyfaced him with ease. Yaki is working smart these days.
(7) Effy defeated Jay Lucas to retain the GCW World Championship in 13:12. Lucas kicked out of the Sack Rider, a rare feat. Effy went for it again. Lucas reversed into a powerbomb but Effy reversed that with a rana for the three count.
Effy and Lucas showed mutual respect after the match.
The match was fine, like the one Effy had with Bryce Cannon at Bruised & Infused 3. Good showing by Lucas. The GCW title meant nothing to Wild Wings crowd and there's no suspense in a GCW title match on a show like this. Either Effy goes over clean or they do some type of inconclusive finish.
Next up, was a video package depicting the events that led to main event.
(8) Golden Class (Dallas Kage & Byron Young & KJ Valentine & Corinne Joy) & mystery partner Stunt Marshall defeated The Apex (Grayson Pierce & CB4Three & Chayn Male & Warden & Dante Darko) in 10 person elimination match (25:03). The Apex must disband. All 10 brawled over the building before the bell. Marshall dominated the opening minutes with an airplane spin for Darko and power slaps X 4 for other Apex members. Apex decimated Marshall with mass interference and made him the first to be eliminated. CB4Three showcased his strength and power until he tried one Dominator too many and Valentine pinned him with a sole eater. Golden Class used quick tags to work Pierce over. Apex beat up on Joy. Warden manhandled Golden Class. Highlight was simultaneous one-armed powerbomb/chokeslam and his attempt to murder Joy. Golden Class ganged up on Warden. Joy splashed Warden off the ropes and all of Golden Class piled on. Bodies were flying all over the place. Darko did a spinal tap off the commentary booth (an eight foot drop). Darko pinned Valentine with a piledriver. Young and Kage eliminated Darko with a wheelbarrow/springboard DDT combo. Pierce pinned Kage with the Deathshot Driver (tombstone driver). Pierce went up top with Joy in his sights. Young stepped in and took a top rope double stomp from Pierce. That left Joy against ChaynMale and Pierce. Joy eliminated ChaynMale with the Joy Ride. Joy countered Pierce's Deathshot Drive and pinned him with a super Joy Ride to win the match for Golden Class.
A spotfest, mostly good, some sloppy as hell. Everybody in the match got a chance to shine. Young's physique stands out among the A4 talents. The spot where he took the bullet for Joy looked great. The match did wonders for Joy's stature in DWA. She's got charisma and is getting better in the ring as she gains experience.
