----The crew has grown and the dressing rooms are better since my last visit to New Blood Wrestling. It was their second show and they were just trying to establish things with their new booker Greg Anthony. Sir Mo shortly took over and TGB is now TLCW Champion. As I arrived at 6:45 PM for the 8:00 PM show, I was thinking to myself that I had arrived early, but as soon as I pulled on the parking lot I knew it was going to be a big crowd. The building was almost completely full when I arrived and the fans kept piling in. This show proved that if you put on a good show, then people in Dyersburg, TN are going to come out to see wrestling. I have written before that Dyersburg was dead, but it just needs a kick in the ass and some good entertaining wrestling. And, believe me, that was what I got to see at this show.
----The Sicilian Kid won a battle royal that featured I believe 8 guys. Most of them I knew from either seeing their pics or seeing them work, but a few were new and very green. Even though they were green as grass though, when their music hit and they came out – the crowd ate it up!! J Weezy, Slim “the Bulldog” Pickens and even the Kid got a pop coming out. Even though Kid won the bout, Tank was the star of the battle royal leading most of the young guys into being eliminated and calling the right stuff at the right time. Tank had been out for few weeks and the crowd was hot for him. Tank threw Kid thru the top and second rope, so he was not eliminated. After Tank eliminated Weezy, then he jumped over the top rope thinking he won, but then Kid got in. Crowd liked the finish and Weezy/Kid/Tank all shook hands at the end. [**1/2]
----Psycho beat Gunner Thompson and Tim Edwards in a triple threat elimination hardcore match. Crowd was hot for the match almost all the way. I think Gunner got juice first, then Psycho, but both juiced good. Gunner got a good pop coming out. Edwards got eliminated and leaving Gunner/Psycho to beat the hell out of each other. This was much like the Psycho/Krisis hardcore match in that they were giving and getting in the right spots and the crowd was eating up the stiff spots. Psycho took a couple of shots with a R&R sign that were just nasty. Crowd popped big! Psycho set up Gunner and put a HP Printer/Scanner [I donated it!!] in between Gunner’s leg and took off with a spinning shoulder smash. That broke the glass on the scanner and Psycho was bleeding from the arm. Crowd popped big for the spot with the crowd getting louder as Psycho got closer to the printer. I really can’t believe I am doing this, but a match involving Gunner/Edwards gets [***].
----“Team X” [Phoenix/Gryffon] beat Fire/Flame. Team X did a great double spot with each diving outside the ring from the top turnbuckle onto Fire/Flame. I really had a hard time telling Phoenix/Gryffon apart, but the crowd was hot as Fire/Flame got the heat. Hot tag got a pop and [I think] Phoenix pinned Flame. Good basis psychology match. Team X are just so small compared to Fire/Flame and some of their offense just did not look real. [**1/2]
----“Cruzin 4 Pain” [Motley Cruz/187] with Tasha Simone beat “East Coast Bad Boys” [C-Money/Serpent] in the best bout of the night. This is the best pure wrestling tag team bout I have seen this year. When these two teams come out it was apparent that they are something different. Both teams are dressed alike in great gear and know how to wrestle. They look like wrestlers and they wrestle. The crowd popped so big for ECBB. Rikishi was the only person to get a bigger pop. Too many moves for me to mention here, but it was not a spot feast without meaning. Every move meant something. My only complaint of the bout is that it felt like it lasted a bit too long as they lost the crowd building up to the finish. Hot tag to C-Money was good C4P ended up winning after finishing off C-Money. [****] Great match!!
----NBW Title Match: Flex beat by DQ Alan Steele. This was just your basic wrestling match and both guys worked real hard. During one point, Steele puked, but I didn’t even notice it. [He was trying to be like Big Steve] They just kept working. You could tell that Flex was not use to the going so long, but did a great job except for a few hold for hold spots in the beginning of the match. Memphis Wrestling is missing out on having Flex as a singles babyface. He would be so over. Steele is the best wrestler in this area. I have seen them all and he is a step above when it comes to just pure wrestling. He is missing SOMETHING and I am not sure what – a great gimmick maybe?? Steele used a chain that the ref seen for shitty finish, but a damn good match. [***]
----Rikishi/Jeremy Moore/Big Red beat by DQ “Ca$h Flow” [Mark Justice/Kilo/”Pretty Sexay” Gaylon Ray] with Big Money Gripp when Stumaga interfered. This was just your basic match with Kilo really shining in the ring with Rikishi. Lots of comedy in the front and the heels took over getting the heat on Moore. Moore and Ray were put in the perfect spots getting over with the good workers. Moore doesn’t even look like a wrestler, but has improved tons and the crowd loves him. Justice did an elbow drop from the top rope that looked great!! Hot tag to Kishi and crowd popped big!!! Stumaga [Tommy Boy] jumped Rikishi and he gave him the stink face. Crowd was nuts. Rikishi danced after the match. [**1/2]
RassleNotes: Crowd was 316 paid with a gate close to $3476...As the show got started people were still coming into the building. I would say close to 30 people stood for the whole 4 hour show…The Kid is horrible and so small. But the crowd popped for him…Weezy, Pickens, Ray, Team X and Jeremy Moore all need seasoning, but are over with the crowd and try really hard…Tank needs to get Tasha to make him some gear and he would look more like a wrestler…C-Money is the younger brother of Serpent and 187 and is going to be a good worker if he sticks with it. If he keeps on improving I can see his name in the “rookie of the year” balloting for this year…Simone looked to be suffering from a hurt knee, but looked in great shape. I am not sure if it was the tan, the suit or whatever, but she looked about 10 years younger…I have a hard time telling Fire/Flame apart on TV, but it is easy seeing them live. Fire was great on the mic, which is funny since we have never heard them talk on TV…It was great to see some old friends in the crowd – Big Dave, Auburn Thunder, Cane with his beautiful wife, all the new kids and tons more of the workers that I have not seen in a long time…RRO “Manager of the Year” Rashard was backstage…They took a very long intermission for Rikishi to do Polaroids. He sold easily 80 Polaroids at $5 a pop. He was super backstage to all the boys and stayed to autograph everything for the fans….For all the bs I give this promotion for pushing some of the younger guys and such, Mo has done a great job getting over the young talent and did an excellent job putting on a big event…Good time was had by all and a thank you to the NBW cast and crew for a great show.
