----The story of this show was this being the NEW 1-Year Anniversary. The story of this promotion evolving into what it is now is a story for another day. This promotion gets more criticism than any other promotion in the area, because the matches are top notch, but the crowd has never caught on. They put on a pure wrestling show that compares to nothing else when it comes to workrate in this area. The real story of the show was Austin Lane, who everyone felt like he was over hyped, has almost come out this year from being ranked #1 in the RRO Top 10 to prove something. NEW is just not about Eric Wayne or Ken Wayne or Wayne's school - it is about wrestling. Not sure if it is the building, the talent or the desire to do so - but everyone seems to try to perform at a higher level when they are in the NEW ring.
----Scott Fury beat Mike Anthony to advance in US Jr Title #1 Contender Tourney. Good solid opener. Anthony has some nice looking new gear. Anthony is real quick. Armdrag, armdrag to flapjack on Fury. Fury takes him down back to headlock. Anthony misses flying press from top rope. Near falls. Anthony goes to the top missing an elbow. Anthony goes for a hunnacarana and Fury catches him into a powerbomb for the pin & win. [**1/2]
----Austin Lane beat by DQ Justin Smart to advance in US Jr Title #1 Contender Tourney. Lane got a good pop. Lane starts it slow with lockups and hard slaps to Smart’s face. Smart with a punch and is warned. Series of sweet moves – stiff clothesline to flying elbow. Lane misses a hunnacarana from the top. Near fall. Smart leaps over top rope landing on his feet and does a kick to Lane’s head. Slows down a bit to build for the finish. Forearm trading spot. Smart ends up losing his cool and just punching Lane on the mat. DQ on Smart for Lane win. [***]
----Austin lane beat Scott Fury to advance as winner of US Jr Title #1 Contender Tourney and to face Eric Wayne later in the night. No rest as the match starts right after the first one. Headlock, armbars and kicks to the body. Basic stuff with these guys working real good together. High knee. Maple Leaf Back Snapper from Lane to Fury. Lane goes for his submission finisher “Final Cut” [Rings of Saturn]. Neckbreaker with Fury’s legs draped in the corner. Lane misses headbutt from top. Fury with Stinger DDT to stunner. Abdominal stretch slam then a spinebuster from Fury. Three stiff clotheslines. Flapjack. Lane ends it with Fury submitting to “Final Call” for the win. [***1/4]
----Dan Matthews/Kevin Charles/Josh Carny beat Matt Justyce/Shawn Reed/Matt Riviera. Heels do a funny interview with Justyce/Riviera and trying to remember where he seen him. Charles did an excellent job on the mic and has a lot of charisma. Basic stuff here from everyone. Riviera and Justyce constantly working the crowd. Fun stuff to watch. I thought Carny killed Reed when he tried a monkey flip. Heat was on Charles. Reed used a “Go Home Driver” [piledriver variation] on Charles. Charles jumps from second rope into a RKO. DKO Hot tag ends with Carney getting a pin on Riviera who tripped over Reed. [**1/2]
----Eric Wayne pinned Austin Lane to retain the US Jr Title. Just a great match. Kicks to start it out. Hold for hold. Armbar to armbar. Headscissors on match to headlock to control the bout. They started out as if they were going to go an hour. Legfrog and Lane then ends it with a slap. Stiff forearms. Wayne to floor. Lane went for a dive, but Wayne blocked. Lane slammed Wayne on the ring apron [hard part of ring] and then Lane does a neckbreaker to ring steps on Wayne. Crowd was hot for the match. One of those bouts where I was watching more than I could write down. Wayne to top turnbuckle. Lane up – Wayne hits neckbreaker from top to mat. Oh shit!! Lane tries to finish him with “Final Call.” Both guys got two rope breaks and used them. Wayne went over the top turnbuckle bumping to the floor and came up bleeding. [hardway] Lane went into headbutts. Ken Wayne came out and they decided to continue it. The match ends up with both guys had their breaks and Lane having Wayne in the “Final Cut” – Wayne can’t use the ropes to break. Wayne ends up rolling thru the submission and pinning Lane. [****]
----Allen Steele beat Kid Nikels. After the last bout, this bout seem to start in slow motion. Lock up trying to get advantage. They traded punches [NEW rules thrown out for this bout]. Kid hit a flying press across the ring. Steele throws Kid to the floor. Just brawling with punches. Backbreaker from Steele. Kid trying for comeback. Steele hits a frogsplash from the top rope for near fall. Steele on top and Kid brings him down with Samoan drop. Near fall. Steele goes for the Alabama slam for his finish, but hits the ref. Kid hits chokeslam. Nikels pickle and Steele pulls him up [I think he might have been holding tights also – but from the seat could not see] to pin him for the win. Pull-a-part brawl after the match with Ken telling Kid to not back to the dressing room. [***1/2]
NOTES
----There was around 120 people in the building. There was their biggest crowd to date and not many more asses could have fit in the arena…This is not a bad comment about my friend Brian Thompson, but when your replace a guy that is so good at something, it is usually hard to replace him. Terrance Ward has stepped right in and is a really good announcer. He works well with John Steele. NEW could have not picked a better guy. My pick for Announcer of the Year...Jamie Jay and Nikki Lane were in the crowd....Chuck Poe and Downtown Bruno did excellent jobs as refs…Fans were calling Mike Anthony “Milk-dud.” No idea?? Anthony had some nice new gear...Fury was bleeding from the mouth during the Lane bout – he has no luck at this arena. LOL…Dan Matthews seems to have the basics down, but is still a bit hesitant. He is a rookie though. He has no color though and just looks like a normal guy in gear. Does that make sense?? He needs color!! Kevin Charles seems to be a head better and is really good on the mic. Matthews did come off good in an interview playing the straight character to Charles…Not impressed with the very small Josh Carney. But, crowd does pop when he does a move and he does this ugly strut after his match that is just plain scary. LOL Funny thing was that my 8-year old Beth thought he was the funniest thing and was putting him over big time the next day…Nice video packages of various guys aired on the big screen…Justyce seems to have got some extra confidence somewhere. He still needs work on his work, but seems to just go out to have fun…Riviera has tons of charisma and is a joy to watch…Alan Steele is helping with the booking and is just the “general” backstage with the boys. As always, he is a damn solid worker – one of the best in the area…Dressing room was raving over the Wayne/Lane bout with everyone putting it over. Lane got some praise from everyone for working three good bouts. Lane has scored two [****] star bouts and three over [***] bouts this year. This was Eric’s third [****] bout – all in the NEW building…Fans threw steamers into the ring ala Japanese wrestling after the bout…Thanks to staff and crew – I had a great time and it was a real good show. Fun time was had by all.
