CEW February Fallout Live Report -- Savannah on February 28

By Ross Blair & Alex Snider: Attendance was back up to normal, being there was no snowstorm this month. Another solid card, with all tit...

By Ross Blair & Alex Snider:

Attendance was back up to normal, being there was no snowstorm this month. Another solid card, with all titles on the line and the first women’s match in quite a while. The crowd was hot, as usual. 

1.) They started out strong, as top babyface “Hollywood” Hunter took on the debuting journeyman Michael Stevens. Hunter’s girlfriend, ring announcer Chianne Michaels (subbing for the absent Diana Michel), introduced him as “Georgia’s Overall Wrestler of the Year” which got a nice pop. Stevens impressed and got some good heel heat, infused with comedy. The lights went out, and Hunter’s current nemesis Christian Taylor appeared at ringside. Taylor’s distraction gave Hunter the opportunity to scoop Stevens from behind for the pin. 

Taylor then attacked Hunter and choked him out with Saran Wrap. Taylor’s manager Simon Sermon reeled him in (saying he wanted Christian to beat him up, not kill him), as the ref helped Hunter to the back. 

2.) A rare women’s match was next up, as Emily Locke defeated Anastasia. Exodus (Body Bundy & Jacked Josh) escorted Locke and wreaked havoc at ringside, which fired up the crowd. Locke drew a lot of heat, and the crowd loved this match. Locke has already been announced for a match next month (versus Kelsey Raegan). Perhaps there’s a CEW Women’s Title on the horizon? Hmm. 

3.) Exodus, with manager Emily Locke, defeated Robert & Steve Allen for the CEW Tag Team Turmoil Championship. Amazing match. Lots of action, but they had to go home early when Steve Allen dislocated his right shoulder. He’s reportedly doing ok now, saying it’s now just a bit sore. Exodus is a super talented team, and I’m glad we’ll be seeing more of them. 

4.) Cornelius Pepperbottom came out on top in his first Coastal Chaos Title defense against rising star Jay Alpha Miller. Great back and forth, and Peps won with his shining wizard finisher. Hakeem Young, who lost the belt to Peps last month after holding it for a record 427 days, hit the ring and attacked Peps. Miller & Young were double teaming Peps when Bryce Cannon came out and cleared house. Big ovation for the impromptu Exotic Youth reunion! 

5.) Dax Anthony, in his first match here as a babyface, heard the cheers as he wrestled and defeated CEW’s most hated man, Simon Sermon. Lots of play with all the “Simon Sucks” signs. Sermon tried to bribe Dax, offering him a title shot with his boy Walker if he would forego the match. 

I absolutely love this whole Dax turning storyline. I was hooked in December, when Dax first saved his arch rival Bruce. Keep it up, CEW! 

6.) Randy Reno defeated the debuting Rez Gainer. Gainer has been working in Texas, for Booker T’s Reality of Wrestling. He is the 20-year-old son of Kevin Kantrell, and his kid brother Clark DeBenedetto referee’d the match. Reno was hot and heavy with the spray bottle gimmick, much to the delight of the crowd. Gainer showed a lot of promise, with high flying and solid heel work. Hopefully Gainer will stick around Georgia. I’d love to see Kantrell versus Gainer with Clark as ref! 

7.) “Main Event” Michael Walker kept his CEW Heavyweight Title by defeating the popular underdog DJ Smoke. Lots of high flying. Excellent match, albeit the lightest “heavyweight” match I can remember seeing. The crowd has really taken to DJ, who arrived in CEW just a few short months ago. He proved that he can hang in a main event scenario, with high flying and good selling. The fans backed him up with multiple “That’s my Smoke!” chants. When leaving the venue, my granddaughter told me DJ is her favorite wrestler. Walker & Smoke kept rolling up each other for a 2-count when Walker grabbed the top rope for a 3-count victory. 

Walker beat down DJ until Dax Anthony made the save, including staring at the CEW title before throwing it at Walker. Dax stuck around after the show, taking pics with fans and soaking up his new babyface persona.