----Arena Report from this past Saturday night.
----This is the same building that ran NBW events until the promotion was bought by Mark Justice and Mad Money Mike. It might be the same building, but it doesn't look like it. Great improvements in the building from entrance to the arena. The dressing rooms are probably the best around here - lots of room for everyone. 146 people packed in the building for an entertaining night of wrestling as Book Tour 2011 ended.
----"The Main Factor " Robert Devine by DQ over "The Platinum Prince" DeAnte Chrome. A video was shown of Dazzle Dixie on the FTW-tron saying he was on vacation. That was just to set up him jumping in on Devine. Not much of a match, it was just designed to set up a match later. Dixie jumped in, the Dirty SOB jumped in for what everyone that was the save, but he turned on Devine and went back to being called Drive-By. 6-man tag was set up for later. [**]
----Next up was an angle that lasted a little too long with "Georgia Boys" [Gaylon Ray/Shannon Lee] out at the announcer's desk and "Swagger Boys" [Weezy/Biscuit] coming out with the tag belts. Match set up for next week.
----Ricky Andrews by DQ over Kyatia when Mad Money Mike threw fire. A surprising good match. Both guys worked hard here. Both guys are green, but bump real good and had good psychology. Kyatia impressed me the most as I expected him to be bad. Gimmick is over and Andrews is over. Fireball was good. [**1/2]
----Robert Devine/Mark Justice/Sarge O'Riley beat Dazzlin Dixie/DeAnte Chrome/Drive-By. Good solid tag with the idea of helping get Devine over more. Sarge/Mark are both over and helped him with rub to the crowd. Heat on Devine and match ended up with Dixie getting pinned by Devine to set up a Devine vs Dixie bout for next week. Everybody looked good here. [**3/4]
----Jason Reed/Anton LeVeigh beat Syn/DJ Stunner Jason the "Brain" in the best bout of the night and book tour!! I didn't write much down for this bout as I was just watching it. Reed is one of the best around and just worked hard. Anton/Syn/DJ have improved to a whole new level. I can't remember seeing one flaw in the whole match. They did a tease for the finish as I thought Stunner was going to be caught with a foreign object and do a screw job finish, but Reed/Anton finished him off for the win. [***3/4]
NOTES
----I was surprised at the level the "Swagger Boys" and their gimmick is over. Crowd loves them...Kyatia bumps good, but tried to kayfabe all night by wearing his mask backstage. Funny for all the wrong reasons. And since I did not see his face, then I can not be 100% sure, so I will not say it was Justin Hodge. But, if it was him, he used to work as part of security in Jeremy Moore's "Entourage" gimmick. Lesson #64 in the business - don't try to work a worker...Chrome/Drive-By came out with Dixie to "If Heaven ain't a Lot Like Dixie, I Don't Wanna Go" and Mad Money Mike was wearing a Confederate flag on his shirt. Hilarious! They should do the Reno Diamond gimmick from a few years back with the white capes...Speaking of Dixie, I know I [and others] was a bit critical of them putting the belt on him, but it works. It works because they have a plan to build Devine as there next champion. When he goes over on Dixie [who is a good heel], the crowd will pop big!! Devine is a decent worker - big and bumps really good...I still stick by my statement that "Dark Circle" are the best overall team in the area, but Syn/Stunner & Anton/Reed are both close. I could watch those two teams would each other over and over...Crowd chants "XOW" when Jason "The Brain" comes out along with Syn/Stunner/Lil Bit. I don't really "get it", but it seems to work and they are all over. I guess it is almost seen as a faction, instead of as a rival promotion. I don't like Jason as a face, because I think he is a good heel. But, it works and it is hard as hell to be a babyface manager and he is pulling it off...I would hold off and tease Destiny/Vixen match. I would do something where Justice/Thunder had to be beat before Destiny agreed to the match and then finally have Destiny vs Vixen...Troy Tucker was heel ref in some of these matches, but it just did not work for me. Ron Bryson did a good job as usual...Big Dave and Allen Walker were announcing. Big Dave is good. Walker is good, but a little over the top as a heel announcer. Being a heel announcer is a fine line between getting the heel talent over and #1 - not sounding just goofy doing it all the time and #2 - not trying to put yourself over. Walker is ok, but doesn't have to be so blatant at times...Sarge's booking style is kinda like old time Memphis Wrestling. It is clear who the heels and babys are. He is trying to make EVERYONE mean something on the show, not just one or two people. He is also booking towards the NEXT week much like Memphis Wrestling would book for Monday night. He is also not just putting himself over and he actually had a match on this show just to help get someone else over. As I said to him and a few people in the back, there are some people on this show that I would not push personally, but I can not say anything about it - because they are ALL OVER, which hard to say about any other show in the area...Thanks to cast and crew. Fun time was had by all.
