----This promotion has the best building and setup of any of the arenas in the area. It could probably pack in just a little over 400 people. Nice seating, nice building, nice owner and a great depth of talent. Did they put on a good show though?? It was a bit disappointing and as you will read the show was not that good. I think they have some of the best talent in the area, but there was way too much gimmickry and guys were not asked to wrestle.
----They started the show with them giving out awards for the first year of ASWF in Tuckerman. Here goes the list…
*Announcer – Brian Edwards
*Stable – “the Entourage” [Austin Lane/Justin Smart/Blalok The Blazer]
*Lifetime Achievement Award – “ Hollywood ” Jimmy Blaylock
*Most Hated – Nikki Lane
*Most Popular – Chuck Fears
*Veteran – Johnny Harpter
*Feud – Austin Lane vs Brandon Baxter
*Most Underrated – Scott Fury
*Show of the Year – “The Immortal” 12.01.07
*Match of the Year – Chuck Fears vs Austin Lane vs Jerry Lynn 12.01.08
*Manager – Demon X
*Most Entertaining – Austin Lane
*Next Big Star – Casino Kid
*Rookie – Seth Sabre
*Division X Star – Tommy Wayne
*Diva of the Year – Nikki Lane
*Tag Team of the Year – “American Degenerates” [Morgan
Lane/X-Kalibur]
*Wrestler of the Year – Austin Lane
----I was told at one time that these awards were shoot, but a few of them seem a little “worked”. X-Kalibur was hilarious in his acceptation speech crying and saying, “I am happy to win an award that Austin Lane did not win..” LOL
----“Gauntlet for the Gold” was first up. Match started with two people and someone else entered every 2 minutes. After everyone was eliminated except for 4 guys, then the match turned into a tag match. The winning tag team would then participate against each other for the prize of an open contract for the ASWF Title. The winner would receive a “Money in the Bank” suitcase, but the twist was that the contract has a “24/7” rule. In the match was Cody Murdock [big guy with smooth moves], Mark Wolf [very green], Seth Sabre [small guy – seems to have potential], Ricky Rage [not good], Christopher Lee [didn’t look like a wrestler], Mike Anthony [my vote so far for RRO “rookie of the year”], Idol Bane [his stint in TLCW/LAW had made him a very smooth worker], Cody Only [great look and seems to be a good worker], and ACID [one of my faves here – Samoa Joe style worker – needs “something” to take him to the next level]. I hope that was everyone?? Highlight of the match was Idol Bane coming out as a surprise using a big boot, a powerbomb and then putting the “Ghost of Andy Kaufman” on someone. Bane/Cody Only met in the middle of the ring. [They use to be partners] They stared each other down and then hugged. Only then threw Idol over the ropes. The tag match ended up with Cody M/Mike Anthony vs ACID/Cody Only. Only used the “closed casket” [his version of the “Blackhole Slam”] on I think everyone. He walked out of the match eliminating his team leaving Murdoch/Anthony. Anthony did a triple jaw breaker spot and an STO on Cody to finish him off – finished was great!! [**]
----Johnny Harper and Seth Sebre came out of the back brawling. Sabre won with a sunset flip in a quick bout. Johnny Hawk came out and helped Harper beat him up after the match. No heat for this match. [DUD]
----Scott Fury beat Justin Smart by reversal. This match was a big disappointment. Fury tired here with just a basic wrestling match. Crowd was not into it and there was no psychology – why do I say those two things together?? Some real nice hold for hold stuff at first, but then Smart just acted real lost. He has not improved any since the last time I seen him work. He did a dropkick and jumped up doing the “AJ Styles” pose, which looked real cheesy. Smart won the bout after a ref bump and a blockbuster, but then Fury told the ref that Smart had a chain. Shitty finish. [*1/2]
----Nikki Lane came out. She is in great shape. She was posing and saying how good she looked when Bethanie came out. Bethanie couldn’t wrestle, but out came someone that could – ODB!! They set up for a match later in the night – Lane vs ODB. ODB came off as a star – good promo.
----Wild Bill/Demon X [David Walls] beat “American Degenerates” [ X-Kalibur/Morgan Lane ] to retain the ASWF Tag Team Titles. This match was horrible. X/Lane tried, but Bill/X are bad. Bill/X at least had the “Jerry Lawler” tights going and looked liked wrestlers, but when the match started – they stunk the place up. Everything Demon did looked weak and as if he was blown up. No psychology. Bill pinned Lane. After the match Lane pretty much got on the mic and said he was tired of working so hard for ASWF and not getting anything in return. It sounded shoot, but it was foreshadowing the angle for later. [DUD]
----“Free 4 All” Match – Tommy Wayne beat “Mantastic” Matt Boyce and Ray Ray in a triple threat to win the Division X Title. Boyce took the mic before the match and did a tremendous promo. Boyce has improved tons since I last seen him. His mic work was almost “Jerichoish” with some Ric Rude thrown in. He ended the promo by saying “Man…Man…Man” [about 5 more times…lol] “tastic”. Good stuff. Match was probably the most exciting of the night with them climbing the chain to go after the title belt. They all took some crazy nasty bumps, but really nothing much making sense to build, but as I said it is hard to work, when you have to rely on a gimmick. At one point there very little heat for the match, but they popped big for the finish. All three were going for the belt, when both Ray Ray/Boyce fell. Wayne grabbed the belt and jumped down – crowd went crazy! Ray Ray gave the belt to Wayne and raised his hand. [**1/2]
----Nikki Lane beat ODB when Austin came out and held ODB’s feet. Short match – not much. Nothing looked bad. [*]
----Chuck Fears retained the ASWF Title by beating Blalok The Blazor, Reno Diamond and Casino Kid in a Fatal Four Way. Not a great bout, but everything was almost flawless. Casino needs a new gimmick – he doesn’t look like a Kid – how old is he?? Blazor and Diamond are soooooo smooth with their execution. Blazor is sometimes seems too small to be considered serious, but his ring work along with his mic work makes you believe in him. Diamond was flawless. Not much psychology. Fears has improved tons and is turning into a good worker. Fears did a dive outside the ring onto the other three at one time. Hot move after hot move. Fears pinned Blazor after the Gudugra. Diamond had missed a “Diamond bomb” [senton] with knees in his back. After the match, Blazor [who was over as a total heel] turned the crowd by just talking on the mic. He had the crowd in the palm of his hand. He ended up turning saying that Fears had lived up to the hype. [Blazor/Fears had a long feud here] and shook his hand. [***]
----Morgan Lane/X-Kalibur came out with Lane apologizing for being pissed off earlier. He ended up turned on X by superkicking him. Fans bought this and it was done well. They win the “Tag Team of the Year”, they do not win the belts and then bam – the turn. Good storytelling. Announcers Terrance Ward and Brian Edwards did a great job getting this over – saying that X/Lane are shoot brothers and how could Lane do that. Edwards said something about them being at a family reunion and all I could think about was a TV vignette with them fighting in BBQ and bake beans. LOL
----Brian Christopher beat Austin Lane . This was not a great match as in workrate and such, but the crowd was into it and Lane bumped all over the place making Brian C look like a million bucks. It took them almost 15 minutes before even locking up due to all the bullshit that Brian does before the match. Can you see I hate that stuff?? Crowd liked it though; even the pants coming down spot. Good stuff on the floor with Brian just slamming Lane to the ring barrier and on the ring steps with Lane bumping like crazy. Brian even bulldogged Lane on the concrete. Finish had Lane go to the top and grab Brian’s glasses and miss the “hip hop” drop. Brian superkicked Lane and hit Casino. There was ref bump somewhere with Lane getting up using a chain on Brian. Lane went for the pin, but the ref stopped it, because of the crowd. Brian rolled up Lane from behind for the win. After the match, Lane/Casino were beating up Brian when David Walls [w/o Demon X mask] made the save. This looked real bad. [**1/2]
NOTES
----Attendance was 320+…It was right at a 2-hour drive for me. I hate to drive!!...Ricky Rowland [one of the promoters] is one of the nicest guys you will ever meet. And, watching him running around taking care of business made me happy that I do not promote anymore…They did have posted on their sign in front of the building about Jerry Lawler and Traci Brooks not being there. They announced it also at the beginning of the show. Rowland also read a letter from Jimmy Valiant on their Anniversary… Judgment, the commissioner, came out and got the crowd going at the front of the show. Judgment has lots of charisma and came off good here…Workers take note – it is ok to emulate your favorite workers, but not cool to imitate them to the point it comes off bad. Smart looked bad, but Bane is over big time just doing a Jerry Lynn piledriver with a cool name…I have never had the opportunity to see X-Kalibur in a match against someone else that is as good or better than him. I have always been told he is a good worker, but I have never had the chance to see…There was so many people just walking around and in/out of the building. It was strange – it was like a town meeting more than a wrestling crowd. The core around the ring though were very much into it…When Blalok went to talk to Fears after the match, he called him out. But, Fears was standing behind him and Blazor didn’t know it. [for shoot] He turned around and said, “How silly of me..” Funny…I can not say enough good things about the announcing team of Brian Edwards and Terrance Ward. I was told that Edwards just came in for this show and is not working on a regular basis for them. Too bad for them, because this guy has great delivery and the fans like him. I hate commentary over the PA, but both Edwards/Ward made it enjoyable – getting over the show and getting over the matches. How did you guys call anything good in that tag match?? LOL…If no one has not told owner David Walls yet – then please let me say something – get out of the ring until you learn how to work!! Just because you are the owner does not mean you have to be a wrestler or even be a tag champion. Owners pushing themselves have always been a major “what’s wrong with the business” subject… Reno and Fears got big pops coming out…Brian C is tiny. He has lost tons of weight – he is still in good shape and cut, but very small. Lane needs to lose a few pounds [I got a lot of room to talk; right??] around the middle – find out what the hell Nikki done to get in such good shape…I will have more on Brian C and ODB in this week’s “Coach’s Corner”.
