----The 2008 Awards Banquet was first on the schedule. Brian Thompson and I gave out plaques to all the 2008 winners that were attendance. Here is the list and I hope I do not forgot anyone – Brian Thompson, Downtown Bruno, ASWF – David Walls, Ricky Rowland and Terrance Ward [pictured above], Stan Lee [pictured below], AJ Bradley [arrived late, but he did get his award], Greg Anthony, “The Baron” Malkavain, Greg King JR, Eric Wayne and Kid Nikels. We had a good time giving out the awards and everyone seemed to appreciate them. Bruno was funny putting over the fact that after he retired he has received two awards [named one of the top 20 managers of all time by WWE]. King was speechless, which was amazing. LOL And, Anthony came off real professional. Thanks again to everyone that put the awards over and especially all the guys that drove in to just get their awards.
----Tatt2/Greg Anthony vs Greg King Jr/Matt Justyce was scheduled. Ken Wayne again told Justyce that he could not work, because he had not been to training. Justyce came out not even dressed out and did a pretty good interview getting over the fact that other things were more important than him training. Wayne then again made King wrestle two matches.
----Greg King JR beat Tatt2 with a suplex for the win. Good hold for hold to start it out. Tatt2 had some hard kicks to King’s back. It really got fast with Tatt2 hitting the ropes. A beautiful lionsault from Tatt2. King hit Tatt2 with a monkey flip that had Tatt2 flying across the ring. They did a series out of the turnbuckle where Tatt2 caught King with a fireman’s carry into a driver. Flying press from the top had King a little off. King finished him with suplex. [**1/2]
----Greg King JR beat “The Golden Boy” Greg Anthony. Anthony is good at putting these matches together as the psychology is almost classic meshing in good finishing. This was slow methodical match almost like they were building for a 60 minute match. The story was that Anthony was trying to get King just to give up, because he had just had a match. King missed a flying press from the top. TGB went to work on his stomach. Anthony used a belly to back “hot shot” suplex a few times in the match, but when he tried the third time, King twisted and landed on him for the pin. [***]
----Greg King came out for an interview. He wanted to inform Ken Wayne that he was ready for his 60 minute “Graduation Match”. It was announced for March 1, 2009 at 6:00 PM. He also ask to wrestle Justyce next week at NEW and Wayne said that if Justyce did not show up, then he was done with the promotion and school. King’s opponent for that night was not announced.
----Kid Nikels/Eric Wayne beat Stan Lee/”Baron” Malkavain. A good solid bout. Stan and Eric started out with a good exchange of hold for hold. Eric hit a pretty DDT on Lee. Stan/Baron did a few double team moves and Nikels/Wayne did also building for the finish. The build was for a hot tag, but as soon as it happened, Kid just cut them off like it never happened. Solid work from everyone with Eric hitting a blind tag as Lee was doing a series of moves to Kid. Lee in the air with Kid holding him – Eric hit an “Ace crusher” for the pin. [that was hard to explain..lol]. [***1/4]
NOTES
----40 to 50 in the building…RRO 2007 Announcer of the Year Michael Ward and Blalok the Blazer came in with AJ Bradley…David Walls was a real good “sport” saying while we were in the ring, “Demon X said hey”. I said as he was leaving for them to tell “my favorite wrestler Demon X, I said hi”. Seriously for all the crap I have given him in the past, he is a true gentleman… For those that did not receive your plaques, I will be doing my best to complete the presentation on “Book Tour 2009”….Malkavain, who usually works here as Dustin Ring, came out in full gimmick to get his award. This is the first place I have ever been where that gimmick did not get over. The fans did not know what to think. I think it has a lot to do with this promotion educating their crowd to the no gimmicks style. Someone else brought up the fact that Ring has already been wrestling as Ring and gimmick probably seemed too much for them… I ask them to even kayfabe me until it is announced to the public about King’s opponent for his graduation match…Nikels did great on his interview...I got the chance to see some of the NEW stuff on DVD [because I am producing a DVD for them] and the stand out is Greg King JR on these shows. King is not a big guy, but the camera puts on about 20 lbs and with his body being so cut and tan – it makes him stand out from the others. I look forward to seeing his hour long match…Bobby Eaton was in attendance…Thanks again to Brian Thompson for his hard work in this together and thanks to Ken Wayne/NEW for hosting the event this year.
ASWF photo by Glenda Tramel
Stan Lee by Christy
