AWE Family Matters -- Marietta on April 12

Photos by Peter Sigmund From Larry Goodman: Great show. Family Matters felt like the AWE of old. Carlie Bravo defeated former 1FW Champion ...

Photos by Peter Sigmund

From Larry Goodman:

Great show. Family Matters felt like the AWE of old. Carlie Bravo defeated former 1FW Champion Elijah Drago to retain the Georgia Wresting Crown in a killer main event that demands to be run back. Bravo's performance was the stuff superstars are made of. Drago is destined for national television.

Bravo vs. Joe Black for the GWC is announced for Homegrown, an AEW signature show on May 17.

Looks like AWE has found a home at El Palenque. Paid attendance was up a tad from the season premiere two weeks ago, always an encouraging sign. The ROAR show that kicked things off at El Palenque did the best presale gate in company history.  The lighting at El Palenque lends itself to drama. Check out Peter Sigmund's photos.

AWE made it two for two. Their in-ring is on an equal plane with the best Georgia wrestling  has to offer. That should come as no surprise if you  take a look at the talent on their roster. Murder's One stories are connecting. 

This report is longer on impressions and sketchy on some the of the facts. There were so many people I love to talk with in the building. GHW's Jeremy York attended his first AWE event. I look forward to reading his take.

(1) Sal Rinauro defeated Hunter Drake and Chad Sky Walker in a triple threat match to retain the GWC Junior Heavyweight Championship in 13:44. Rinauro was the cute and lovable Sal. Sky Walker was in secret agent mode, playing both ends against the middle. 

They did a bunch of fun and creative three way spots. Blood was streaming down Drake's forehead from  the laceration he suffered the night before in his  Barbed Wire Baptism defense of the TWE Championship. They did a double 619 that was absolutely ridiculous. For the finish, Drake missile dropkicked Sky Walker into a chain reaction Samoan Drop on Sal. Drake double stomped Sky Walker off the top. Sal swooped in and made Drake tap to his new submission.

Rinauro showed Sky Walker respect after the match.

(2) JT Paradox (with 3MP) defeated Jonathon Moody (with Ethan Case) via DQ in 9:45. 3MP had a gift for DPJ aka Dick Pickle Jr.  Since DPJ was not there, 3MP presented the gift to Pickle Sr. (Moody), a king-sized bag of dill pickle flavored potato chips.

Paradox is having one hell of a sophomore season. The kid is hungry.  He is earning everything he gets. Ethan Case and the Palmetto Wrestling Academy is AEW's hidden treasure.  Moody hit an Air Raid Crash. Paradox started hitting his signature german suplexes. DPJ came out of nowhere to clock 3MP. Paradox broke out of a Muta Lock.

Case interfered for the DQ. Promoter Josh Wheeler threatened to fire Palmetto Boys if Case used the boot. Case kicked Paradox in the dick instead and Palmetto Boys lived to fight on. 

(3) Joe Black defeated Xavier Cross in 3:03. Joe gave Cross his back to test the big man out. Joe welted up his chest pretty good. Joe won with the killshot to the medulla oblongata. Cross acquitted himself well. Light work by Joe Black standards.

(4) Drew Hood defeated Alexander Lev in 10:20.  Next to Bravo/Drago, this was my favorite match of the night. Hood is on the cusp of the next level. The former VP Champion  has added a lot of size in the last couple of years and he was a  decidedly devilish aura. Lev is knocking out one banger after another, constantly expanding his game.

Coming out of a double down, Lev got near falls with the STO and a Scorpion Death Drop. Hood picked Lev like he was going for a back suplex and tossed him halfway across the ring. Lev hit a GTS but Hood got a foot on the ropes. In the e ensuing confusion, Hood's boot came off. Hood slugged Lev and rolled him up. 

More of this please.

(5) Heath Slater (with 3MP) defeated Ben Bishop in 7:30.  Slater got a surprisingly big reaction for as long he's been off TV. The top of Bishop's 7 foot head barely cleared the HVAC contraption that hangs over one corner of the ring. 3MP was still ticked off about Dick Pickle Jr and Sr.  Chaos ensued as  Bishop and Slater brawled all over the building. Slater threatened 3MP to within an inch of his life.

3MP got on the apron and was decked by Big Ben. Slater beat Bishop with the Wake Up Call. Good match.  Served its purpose. Not the moon and the stars.

(6) Chosen Ones (Ace Haven & Justin McKenzie with Amy Haven) defeated Stevie Ray Frost & The Flame (with Taliaferro) and The Vanguard (Raylon Albey & Jake Parker with Ethan Case) and Kohnor Martin & Leron  to become the new number one contenders for the GWC Tag Team Championship (11 minutes). Wild action, not quite as insane as the four-way tornado tag title match won by the enigmatic team of Brayden Toon and Chip Day at the last show. 

Chosen Ones inadvertently nut shotted each other. Martin dropped Flame on his head with a german suplex. Parker planted Martin with a  black hole slam. Case got in the act with his boot. McKenzie was destroyed. Lev and Paradox jumped into they fray to brawl with the Palmetto Boys. Amy pulled Frost out of the ring. Chosen Ones delivered coast-to-coast missile dropkicks in stereo on the hapless Flame and he was pinned by McKenzie. 

Rumor had it Pastor Jaykes was too ill to make it to the show. Lame excuse. McKenzie was the workhorse. I like Martin. Vanguard is a solid tag team. Chosen Ones vs. Seabolt & Frost would be interesting.

(7) Ezebella Wilder defeated the debuting Kelsey in 6:56. Kelsey is a QT Marshall/1FW trainee. Wilder has appeared on all three AWE shows. She has a special look. Back in the day, she'd have been cast as the valet to die for. Here she was the heel.  Match was fine for their experience level. Kelsey did a beautiful O'Connor roll. 

I see way too many sloppy, shitty variations of that classic move on indy shows. Wilder pinned Kelsey with a splits leg drop.  

(8) Carlie Bravo defeated Elijah Dragon to retain the GWC Championship in 11:48. Maybe the most entertaining  match I've seen live this year. Bravo came out in red, white and blue ring gear to "Living In America" and rubbed the Ukranian's face in the good ole USA. Drago blew his nose in Bravo's ring jacket. 

Drago shoulder blocked Bravo out of the ring. Bravo said to get that asshole out here. Bravo got what he wanted and thought he had the monster outsmarted. Drago caught and posted Bravo and did this. 

 

Drago was channeling Bruno Sammartino power offense. Bravo donkey kicked Drago in the jewels and finally got him down with Heath Slater's finisher for God's sake. Drago had the scissors kick thoroughly scouted. Bravo tried to use brass knucks. Drago hit the F5 for a razor thin near fall that got a "USA" chant

Bravo resorted to using a chain and had to use it twice to beat Drago with the scissors kick.

Bravo was thrilled to escape with the title by the skin of his death. Drago said fuck all you people. 

Joe Black no sold Bravo laying on the table right in front of him.

One of the most entertaining match I've seen live this year. Seems like there's a deeper story at work. Bravo resorted to every dirty heel trick in the book and the AWE crowd loved him for it. He is their champion. His desperation was compelling. Drago is an incredible physical specimen. And he's got game. 

NOTES: The Martin Stone vs. Eddie Hindrixx match was scratched. Neither wrestler was able to make it to the show...Darry Hall, Mason Pike and Bryan Waites were the officials ...Carmen Michaels was the ring announcer and will add commentary in post production...AWE's ROAR division returns to El Palenque on April 26 with Violent Romance (Nixon Newell & Miranda Alize vs. Joiya Blake & WWE ID prospect Airica Demia and the highly anticipated Crystal Rose vs. Bobbi Thunder...NAAW headed up by retired GWH writer Jabari McIntyre, Alex Arias and Windy City Pro Wrestling booker Jim Keltner were in the house.