From Larry Goodman:
Crossroads delivered across the board. The Southern Fried crew played the hand they were dealt like masters of the game. Every segment hit the mark.
CT Keys is now a three time Southern Fried Champion. He defeated Sal Rinauro in the champion's chosen gimmick match to end Sal's reign at 273 days. Only Judas has held Southern Fried's top prize on more occasions (Keys is tied with Logan Creed/Krule at thee title reigns apiece).
The major narratives coming out of Crossroads involve two long-term friendships that have hit the skids. Todd Sexton and Judas lost their match and Kelly Sexton was revealed as the person standing in the way of Todd's "one more match" with Judas. David Manders has yet to hear word one from Jacob Ashworth, who quit the company and told Manders to get screwed.
Attendance at the Walton County Boys & Girls Club Gym was 200+. Going head up against the 4th quarter of a tight Georgia Bulldogs football game, that was as good as it was going to get.
(1) Fro Cool (Seth Delay & Michael Walker) defeated Madstreet (Michael Stevens & Sunny Daze) to retain the Southern Fried Tag Team Championship in 11:22. Daze was wearing pumpkin color face paint for the Halloween season. He broke out a pop up headbutt. Madstreet got heat on Walker. Delay connected with a series of corner dropkicks after taking the hot tag. An Air Walker dive got a big reaction. For the finish, Fro Cool took Daze out with a double dropkick and Walker pinned Stevens with the frog splash elbow.
This was a really well executed tag match, nicely paced with everyone on point. Sunny Daze must be eating his Wheaties. He was as sharp in the ring as I've seen him be.
(2) Zack Buchanan defeated Pat Roach in 5:04. Roach used a classic fist drop early on. Buchanan got out from under Roach's senton and started running ring around the big man. Roach caught Buchanan with a sleeper and put him on the canvas with a uranage. Roach reversed Roach on the mat for the three count.
A well told little story of speed vs. size.
(3) Bobby Moore defeated Tayo in 20 seconds. Roach blindsided Moore before the bell. Rob Adonis ran in to take care of Roach. Match underway. Discus forearm and done.
Plans had to be changed due to Tayo's shoulder injury. Adonis/Disturbed split personality in effect.
(4) Jaden Vain & Xavier Cross defeated Judas & Todd Sexton in 10:08. Chaos at the opening bell. Vain got choke slammed and pulled to safety by Cross. Judas and Todd celebrated with high fives. Todd and Judas isolated Vain in their corner. The heels likewise trapped Todd in their corner. Judas got the better of a confrontation with Cross. Judas and Todd dropped the Crucifix Bomb on Cross but Vain had tagged in. Todd superkicked Judas by mistake and Vain rolled him up.
The match was fine for storyline purposes. This segment was all about what happened afterward.
Todd's conciliatory high five was denied by Judas. He goozled Todd. Kelly ran down to the ring and got between them in a panic, pleading for peace. Todd started that "one more match" business. Looking straight at Kelly, Judas said not happening. He made a promise. Todd demanded to know why. "Because she doesn't want you to die." Todd walked out of the ring. Kelly was in tears. Judas was shouting at Todd.
Any Southern Fried fan worth their salt knew Judas made the promise to Kelly without it being said. That didn't diminish the impact of the reveal in the least. This was a great piece of ensemble theater. Doing the segment without a mic made it more real. Kelly wears her heart on her sleeve and that's exactly what this angle calls for.
(5) Nick Halen defeated Disturbed in 8:18. Disturbed was clutching his head like maybe he was hearing voices. Halen came in hot with a suicide tope. Disturbed used his size and strength advantage to take control. Halen was on the receiving end of a pair of Tazzplexes. Halen's punches and head kicks were of little use against Disturbed's mask. Disturbed planted Halen with a Rockbottom. Halen's frustration continually escalated. Moore came to ringside and passed brass knucks to Halen. He distracted the ref while Halen clobbered Disturbed with the knucks. Still Halen's top rope elbow garnered only a one count. His senton bomb got a two count. Halen landed a pair of superkicks and pinned Disturbed while Moore held his feet on the ropes for extra leverage.
Post-match, Disturbed was disturbed.
This story is off the beaten path. Halen was willing to do whatever it took to avenge what Disturbed had done to his friend. Halen's titanic struggle to make a dent in this sick freak was compelling. The muted crowd reaction was interesting, like they weren't entirely sure what to make of the spectacle. Will Disturbed get the therapy he so desperately needs?
David Manders was interviewed by John Johnson regarding Jacob Ashworth's departure from Southern Fried. Manders said he had received zero communication from his close friend for 14 years. JJ said Ashworth was miffed because he and Buck had the tag titles won only to have them snatched away. Manders took umbrage, saying the match was rightfully halted due to Delay's injury. JJ asked Manders about his decision to strip Ashworth of the Southern Fried title six year ago. Manders said it had to be done and started getting hot at JJ about his line of questioning. JJ said he was just being impartial. Manders addressed the camera. He wanted Ashworth in the building on November 1 to tell him to his face why he wanted to screwed everybody.
With Manders, what you see is what you get. His authenticity comes through on the mic. JJ acting like Mr. Innocent with his devil horns showing made me laugh. Ashworth's suspension was never addressed after his returned. JJ bringing it up six years later can't be an accident.
(6) Dominic Stuckey defeated Classics Champion Hunter James via DQ in 12:10. Stuckey got an extended loud ovation for his entrance. James, the longest reigning Classics Champion ever, received a mixed reaction and "you suck" chant.
James appeared to suffer an ankle injury in the opening minutes. He started to unlace his boot. Referee Matthew Daniel called for help from the back. James couldn't put any weight on his leg. Stuckey showed concern. Out of nowhere, James vicious attacked Stuckey. Outrage ensued. The crowd was on fire now. Dom rallied with a black hole slam and a blockbuster for near falls. But James caught Stuckey with a hidden blade to the back of his skull and stomped his head. Stuckey was in a daze. James was enjoying this. Stuckey was able to reverse out of the brainbuster but was in a horrendously vulnerable state. James was relentless. He pounded on Stuckey until Daniels DQed him. Southern Fried personnel came to the ring to rend aid. Stuckey was out cold.
Too soon for a clean finish. Loved this as an out. They took the worked injury from the NWA show the night before and pulled it off every bit as well, maybe better. Nuclear heat ensued when James fakery was revealed. Stuckey's selling of the concussion was tremendous. It was impossible not to feel sympathy for the guy. After his reprehensible behavior, I'll be shocked if James doesn't get pure hate the next time he shows his punchable face in this building. Stuckey is now the number two babyface on the roster for crowd reaction behind Keys.
(7) CT Keys defeated Sal Rinauro in Madhouse Match to win the Southern Fried Championship in 27:43. The canvas was completely covered with balloons. There was ladder in one corner. The ropes were wrapped with Halloween tape.
The lights went out at the opening bell. As the light came back on, Rinauro took a flying leap off the ladder onto Keys. Balloons were popping with every move they made. Rinauro was in his element. This was lunacy. They battled all over the building and out into the parking lot. Keys catapulted Sal face into the wall. Sal stomped Keys to death on the bleacher. Keys dropped Rinauro stomach-first onto a trash can. Keys had Rinauro in the cobra clutch when Steven hit the ring with a low blow for CT. Sunny Daze, whose mental state is always a question mark, wasn't far behind. He teased a Samoan drop on Marv.
Keys went to through the curtain and returned with Jagged Edge leading the way. Jagged ran wild on Madstreet. Fro Cool joined the fray to care to give the babyface the numerical advantage. Keys hit a high speed flip dive onto the lot of them. Fro Cool took care of Stevens and Daze for good.
Keys mounted Rinauro with a cobra clutch. Sal drove Keys backwards, exploding a door panel that had been propped up in the corner. Rinauro did an number on Keys' knee with CT's chain and applied the heel hook. They spilled out of the ring onto a coffin at ringside. Keys ripped the lid off the coffin and whacked Sal with it. Back inside, CT pounced Rinauro into a door that did not break and finished him off with an F5 on the rebound.
The postmatch celebration was awesome. The babyface side of the locker room came to ringside to pound the mat. The crowd was their feet congratulating Keys as he circled the ring.
The match lived up to its billing and provided the most surreal setting for a title change in Southern Fried history. This feud had been built to a peak. The trigger had to pulled. The Southern Fried fans were primed for the title change and exploded when they got it. Keys had overcome all kinds of adversity during this title quest and had everything but the kitchen sink thrown at him here. The reunion of Keys and Jagged Edge got over big.
NOTES: SFCW returns to the Walton County Boys & Girls Club Gym on November 1...Blake Blackwell was the ring announcer...JJ was on color commentary alongside Adam Vance. Blackwell did color for the Madhouse Match...David Weakley, Bryan Waites, Matthew Daniels and the debuting Dave Nathanson were the referees...Bull Buchanan and Chianne Michaels were visiting backstage.
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