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| Photos by Gina Jones |
From Larry Goodman:
How times have changed.
Mike Quackenbush returned to ProSouth for the first time since his 2024 booking which was a source of controversy. There was nary a ripple this time around. Quackenbush ran a successful seminar and lead his team to victory in the atomicos main event against a team led by mentee and rival Ace Haven. Quack is now 3-0 against Ace.
ProSouth Champion Joe Black has annointed himself as the heir to the throne.
Scott Adams and All-Out Champion Christian Garrett are not letting up on their persecution of DRP, who has a surprising new ally.
Christian Pierce and Julian Balderas opened the show with a compelling match that 100% lived up to lofty expectations.
The mind games of Windigo and Mongrel culminated in the impending violence of a no rules rematch with Brother Azriel, who welcomes the opporunity.
Brandon Whatley made a successful the ring for the first since suffering a torn Achilles tendon eight months ago.
Amy and Harley Haven were on the same side at ringside for the first time ever.
The audio was messed up from the word go and never got better. This was especially unfortunate during Joe's promo.
Mathias Darkthorne was back to doing double duty, ring announcing and commentary alongside Wicked Nemesis. Adam Hunter, Matthew "Bucky" Gibson and Joseph Void were the referees. Katie Lindsey was the ringside videographer.
(1) Christian Pierce defeated Julian Balderas in 9:26. After being jolted by Balderas' power, Pierce switched tactics and zeroed in on the knee. Pierce got sent into the barricade and took a bump that rocked his world. Hunter immediately checked on Pierce. Back inside, a Balderas spear left Pierce in a heap. Balderas went down clutching at his knee. Balderas gave Pierce a release suplex for a two count. Balderas was attacking but the knee was giving him trouble. Pierce took another rough bump after delivering a penalty kick from the apron. Back inside, Balderas hit a black hole slam for another near fall. They battled on the ropes. Pierce softened Balderas up and brought him off the ropes with a sitout powerbomb for a two count. A pair of Pierce lariats literally bounced off of Balderas. A third lariat put Balderas on his back. Pierce's shotgun dropkick drove Balderas into the turnbuckles. Balderas caught a charging Pierce with a sitout fireman's carry slam and set up for Project Mayhem (triple jump Vader bomb). Pierce rolled out of the way and pinned Balderas with Once Bitten.
Hell of a match. This was a higher profile test for Balderas against one of ProSouth's gatekeepers and he lived up to his "Wrecking Ball" moniker. For his experience level, Balderas is really something. So is Pierce. He gutted it out after taking a bump that might have concussed him.
(2) Money Power Respect (Trey Jordan & KJ Valentine) defeated Joe Wood & Oliver Green to retain the ProSouth Tag Team Championship in 7:28. Jordan slid out to avoid punishment. Valentine took the colon blow slams and the timber headbutt from Wood. Green connected with nice looking dropkick but soon found himself on the receiving end of beating. Jordan debuted a cutthroat torture rack. Green booted Valentine right in the jaw for a hope spot. After taking the hot tag, Wood bounced Jordan's head off the mat with a Frankenstein clothesline and gave Valentine a pop up cutter. Wood objected to Green's unsolicited tag. Jordan squashed the both of them in the corner and MPR obliterated Green with a Dominator/Blackout combo.
This match was a harrowing experience and the winner of my guilty pleasure of the week award.
(3) Brother Azriel defeated Von LaFlare in 5:04. LaFlare got on the mic. Said he was going to introduce the fans to the experience of a lifetime, the one-of-a-kind LaFlare Show.
Az methodically dismantled LaFlare. "The East Atlanta Popstar" raked the eyes and mounted a comeback. After LaFlare got a two count with a backstabber, Az put him away with the Wood Grain.
As obvious as LaFlare's mouth wrote a check his ass could not cash, not that there's anything wrong with that when Az is the one doing the ass kicking. Az was being generous to allow LaFlare a near fall.
A Mongrel video played accompanied by the distorted voice of Windigo and her words displayed on the screen. Bottom line: Windigo would allow Azriel his rematch in a no rules kill field, fight to the death. If security pulled Mongrel off Azriel's corpse, they would be decapitated and she would feast on their corpses. Az said he would see Mongrel at Kill Field.
ProSouth built the Azriel/Mongrel (with Windigo) feud to a stipulation rematch of interest without one appearance by Mongrel or Windigo.
Joe Black promo Joe was wearing a crown when he appeared on stage. He swaggered his way into the ring to say glory hog Ace Haven had inserted himself into something that was not his concern and now his wife was on the side of another man. If there was a King of the South it was Joe Black. Joe ranted and raved about being the best and how the fans should feel honored by his presence. Joe caught himself. He was not that angry guy any more. He was not heel, or a babyface, he was a force of nature. The only thing that mattered was championships and having the baddest girl. He was going to burn down Ace's kingdom with Ace inside it. "How much longer until the throne is truly mine?"
This was as poetic as a pro wrestling promo can get. The audio didn't do it justice. Joe Black has once again reinvented himself as a mad king in possession of the magic sword.
(4) Alexandra Quinn defeated Jodie and Vougan in 6:23. Quinn is the RIPW Queen of the Ring Champion. Jodie another talent out of the Gulf Coast area. Vougan replaced advertised PCW Women's Champion Ravana Xin and was rocking a furry black bikini with matching furry boots.
They took turns going one against one with Jodie showing heelish tendencies. Quinn hit a high angle german suplex on Jodie. Jodie planted Quinn on top of Vougan with a rockbottom and alternated pin attempts on the both of them. Vougan kicked the shit out of Quinn and Vougan. Quinn hit flying neckbreaker on Jodie which forced a DDT on Vougan for a triple down. Quinn and Jodie walloped each other until Quinn nailed Jodie on the button with a running knee.
Quinn is on the fast track to the next level as a pro wrestler. She hits hard. Her flying neckbreaker was the move of the match and the running knee she finished with was a close second.
(5) Team Quack (Mike Quackenbush & Brandon Whatley & Cameron Keast & Caeden Ooten with Harley Haven & Amy Haven) defeated Team Ace (Ace Haven & Justin McKenzie & AJ Black & DRP) in 18:55. Eight way brawl segue into the opening bell. Quack's team did a number on Ace's knee. Whatley gave Ace an assisted avalanche powerbomb. Ace rolled out. AJ and McKenzie were in for more of the same abuse with the master of 1000 holds leading the charge. Quack ordered his recruits to put McKenzie away. Whatley went to the well again with the assisted avalanche powerbomb. McKenzie reversed it with a huracanrana that launched Whatley halfway across the ring. DRP ran wild with the hot tag. Referee Joseph Void got knocked down. Ace's knee gave way when he tried to superkick Ooten but his cutter did the trick. Ace went for an octopus on Quackenbush but couldn't fully lock it in due to his knee. McKenzie flew over the top of them with swanton on the other members of Team Quack. Quackenbush broke up the pin and shitcanned AJ and McKenzie. The electronic gizmo on Keast's muzzle started flashing. Keast went apeshit on DRP and bashed his head into the stage with Bloody Tears. Ace squared off with Quack. Amy tripped up Ace Quack swooped in with a choke hold. Ace tapped out and fast.
It was a delight to see Quackenbush's technical skills on display in a ProSouth ring. The match had some great action but the story was the thing: the babyfaces were on defense 90% of the time and it looked like Ace's team would triumph for sure once they got control only to have defeat snatched from the jaws of victory thanks to Amy. The suddeness of the finish was tremendous.
Amy smugly smiled at her husband. Ace could barely stand but his feelings were hurting as bad as his knee. Amy threw up the two finger Hierarchy salute and was joined by Joe. Ace crawled out of the ring and was on his knees in front of Joe and Amy. They turned their back and exited.
Quite the dramatic scene. Ace has never appeared physically or emotionally vulnerable, Amy never more cruel and heartless.
Christian Garrett and Scott Adams walked out from the back. Garrett scraped DRP off the floor and strapped him to the tree of woe. Adams brought a circular saw into the ring intent on sawing off DRP's gonads. Somebody pulled the plug on the saw. Bubba Cagle came on stage with the crowd chanting his name. Cagle ran roughshod over Garrett and Adams. He laid Adams out with Fear Street 85 as Garrett crawled away like a scalded dog.
