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| Adrenaline Shots Photography |
From Larry Goodman:
The stratospheric highs of the last few episodes gave way to the gravitational pull that comes with doing a weekly show in Piedmont AL this week. On the ProSouth scale, A Decade of Decadence was an uneventful show.
The roster was light some talent. ProSouth Champion Joe Black and Commissioner Amy Haven took their act to Southern Honor Wrestling for the night. The newly crowned tag team champions were limited to a cameo by Vougan. As the story goes, Steven Calozzi was arrested for tax evasion last week and is presumably still waiting to post bond. Ace Haven was burned to a crisp three week ago.
The show title was reference to the 10th Anniversary of the Left Hand Path and they celebrated with a victory in the main event.
In the most compelling match of the show, Brother Azriel scored a monster sized win over Geter, who was making his first ProSouth appearance in five years.
The finish of the match between two Christians (Garrett and Pierce) was bizarre.
Wicked Nemesis was on play-by-play. Mathias Darkthorne split the color commentary duties with Mathias Darkthorne. Both did well in their trials by fire. Darkthorne was the ring announcer. The officials were Joseph Void and Becca. Katie Lindsey was the ringside videographer.
The Diamondback Speaks. Christian Pierce listed off the competition he had run through over the last few months and said it was time for the Diamondback to carry some gold to Whipass Ranch.
Christian Garrett interrupted. Garrett said he got screwed out of the All-Out Championship and he was the only one that should be worrying about getting gold. Pierce said Garrett was afraid of the the white towels on his shoulder because the last time he around one it got thrown in the ring. Garrett could make the all the excuses in the world but he lost the title to DRP. The Diamondback had run through everybody and they both knew he was the better wrestler. Garrett said he was the one person on the roster Pierce had never faced and he could make the same claim -- he was the better wrestler. Pierce said prove it. Garrett said I accept. Pierce said he was going to carry Garrett to a special place...Garrett grabbed the mic. Pierce went for Once Bitten but Garrett was ready for it and bailed.
A nice piece of business to set up a match for later in the evening. Pierce is a great adlib talker and we're seeing the best heel version of Garrett.
(1) Julian Balderas defeated Justin McKenzie in 10:59. McKenzie outsmarted and outquicked Balderas for the first few minutes. Balderas caught McKenzie's leapfrog attempt and powerbombed the beejeezus of him. Balderas used his power advantage to grind away on McKenzie. Balderas applied a Boston crab. McKenzie made it to the ropes. Balderas maintained wrist control and continued to dish out punishment. McKenzie fought his way free but couldn't sustain any offense. McKenzie's rolling senton off the apron got the job done. Balderas was rocked. McKenzie connected with the a swanton bomb/moonsault combo but Balderas kicked out. A pair of superkicks dropped Balderas to one knee. Balderas spinebustered McKenzie and waited for him rise. McKenzie leafrogged Balderas' spear attempt and tried for Sliced Bread 69. Balderas countered with an Oklahoma Stampede and put McKenzie away with Project Mayhem.
Postmatch, DRP slipped into the ring with a Waverider for Balderas. Caeden Ooten was looking to harpoon DRP but he played matador and Balderas ate the blow.
A really good power guy vs. aerial guy match. McKenzie and Balderas both wrestle like they have far more experience than they actually do. Looks like
(2) Caeden Ooten (with Harley Haven) defeated Oliver Green in 5:45. DRP established the over/under betting line for how long Green would last at 6-7 minutes. Ooten pinned the ultra game Oliver with Loaded Gun Complex.
Match was what it was. Harley has been on the back burner for a long while. I'm curious what her next move will be.
Postmatch, DRP sneaked into the ring behind Ooten. Ooten slipped out of the Waverider. Suddenly Balderas was also in the ring and he speared Ooten.
DRP was having fun. He is not only a champion, he is evidently now a matchmaker.
Brother Azriel said he went to war with Alexander Lev last week and technically became a Southern Honor Champion but for some reason his happiness pissed Amy Haven off. He wanted Joe Black back in the ring for a shot at his ProSouth Championship.
Darkthorne said he just got a message that neither Amy or Joe were in the building but they had something for him.
Seeing the 300 pound Az dwarfed by Geter was quite the visual. Loved Az's selling and when the time was right, Geter sold big for Az. A win over Geter was another feather in Brother Azriel's cap.
(4) Christian Garrett defeated Christian Pierce in 11:28. They wrestled even up. Garrett back elbowed Pierce in the ear to break a waistlock. Pierce hauled off and punched Garrett in the jaw. Garrett broke Pierce's headlock with a back suplex. Garrett dumped Pierce with a back body drop. Garrett with a pair of german suplexes.. Garrett blocked Pierce's german. But Pierce's ripcord Black Mass found its mark. Garrett's neckbreaker was good for the first two count of the match. Garrett necked Pierce on the top rope to drop him to the floor. Garrett tried to suplex Pierce back to the inside. Pierce blocked and brought Garrett off the ropes with a powerbomb. Pierce could only drape an arm for the pin and Garrett rolled a shoulder at the count of two. They struggled to their feet and bumped heads. Pierce fell headfirst onto Garrett's groin. They exchanged blows from their knees. The strike battle continued after the rose to their feet. Pierce launched his best sustained offense of the match and hit the draping DDT. Pierce was looking for the High Noon double stomp but Garrett rolled out of the way. After a series of back and forth pin attempts, Garrett came out on top.
This was a fundamentally sound pro wrestling match with strong style overtone. I don't know what the hell happened on the finish but it looked ridiculous. Garrett had no leverage on the pin. It appeared Pierce could have easily rolled a shoulder or grabbed the ropes and did neither.
Vougan came to the ring with one of their tag team belts. Vougan said it had been a strange couple of weeks. He gave a shout out to McKenzie and said it would not have been possible without Amy Haven. The Process came out for their match. Wood said they were going to give Vougan one chance to walk out. "The Beauty Standard" decided discretion was the better part of valor.
(5) Left Hand Path (Austin Towers & Eric Silva & Alister Crowe with Mathias Darkthorne) defeated The Process (Brandon Whatley & Tragick & Joe Wood) in 15:39. Darkthorne caled Whatley Amy's pet dragon and said he was sorry Amy and Joe were not there because he wanted them to see the The Process get humbled with their own eyes. Rules only apply to those weak enough to be ruled. The Process does not rule The Left Hand Path.
LHP totally ruled until Whatley blindsided Silva. Process cut the ring in half. Silva was able to get to his corner after hitting the Hellplex. Whatley and Wood had posted Towers on the outside so Crowe had to take over for the Process. Crowe was soon subjected to the same abuse Silva received.
Towers ran wild with the hot tag. He gave Whatley and Wood a double choke slam and the replay button worked! Green ran in and attacked Wood with a kendo stick. Wood hightailed it to the back. Tragick snatched the kendo away from Green. Vougan came out of nowhere to smack Tragick. He was like a moth to the flame and gave chase. Whatley was surrounded by LHP. Crowd spit the mist in his eyes. Silva and Towers teamed up for choke slam/Collateral Damage combo and Towers pinned Whatley.
A solid trios match, nothing special. Towers' double choke slam was worthy of a replay. The part where Wood and Tragick abandoned Whatley felt contrived. They sent the crowd home happy with nary a hook or a cliffhanger.
