– Taped from Berwyn, Illinois
-Your hosts are Phil Colvin and Dave Prazak
-The Sex Bo-Bombs (Matt Fitchett and Davey Vega) vs. The Awesome Threesome (Knight Wagner and Jordan McEntyre w/Eryn and Ryland Foxx)
Match in Five Words or Less: Not So Awesome
Match Highlights: Vega and Wagner start. Immediate slap by Wagner. Forearms from Vega. Reverse of the whip. Rana by Vega. Charging forearm into a snapmare and series of kicks. Senton splash. Fitchett works the arm and then drives Wagner into the mat. Shot to the throat by Wagner. Fitchett sends McEntyre into the middle rope. Double team ends with a Vega elbow drop. Foxx trips Vega. Stomps by McEntyre. Heat segment on Vega. Vega reverses a belly-to-back suplex. Wagner kicked away. Fitchett hits Wagner across the ring. Back elbows on McEntyre. He rides him down with both knees. Roundhouse kick by Wagner. Double Penetration attempt. Vega with a kick. Enziguri. Fitchett kicks McEntyre down. Lungblower by Vega. Standing springboard moonsault across the back gets them their first victory together in AAW.
Match Analysis: Whitmer was supposed to be in this match instead of Vega, but these guys have good enough chemistry to have a solid opener. The matching gear helps too. Awesome Threesome are going through a lot of changes, and we’re clearly going somewhere with this angle, be it break-up or otherwise. At least some good young teams are picking up quality victories. Solid way to begin the show.
Winner (s)/Time/ Rating: The Sex Bo-Bombs/5:01/**
-Dan Lawrence vs. Markus Crane
Match in Five Words or Less: Short and Sweet
Match Highlights: Crane has been making a nuisance of himself and has some sort of relationship with Shane Hollister. Lawrence is unhappy about wrestling someone low on the card like Crane in the second match of the show. He’s also chugging an adult beverage. Crane spits beer leading to an immediate takedown. Headbutt in the mount position. Crane sent head first into the buckle. Knee strike by Crane. Boot by Lawrence. Whip reversed. Back elbow and headscissors. Dropkick to the back. Right and boot by Lawrence. Neckbreaker countered. Running turn over neckbreaker. Stomp. He does the Hollister thrust. Running senton met with knees. Russian legsweep by Lawrence. Into a neck submission and the victory.
Match Analysis: Some anger is being shown within Lawrence, and this is another angle to keep an eye on for the next few months. Not much of a match since Crane is brand new to AAW and can afford to take some early losses.
Winner (s)/Time/ Rating: Dan Lawrence/3:32/*
-Truth Martini talks about women in the world. He shifts his attention to MsChif as Danny Daniels will be wrestling her later tonight. Martini says he will not be held responsible for what happens later tonight if MsChif accepts the match. Daniels says she isn’t getting out of the match.
-Josh Raymond, Christian Able, and T.D. Thomas vs. The Clash (Cameron Skyy, Tommy Treznik, and Austin Mannix)
Match in Five Words or Less: Thomas’s Big Win
Match Highlights: Clash have been on a recent run of losing of their own lately. Raymond and Able are attempting to position themselves for another AAW tag team title match. Thomas and Mannix begin the proceedings. Quick elbow and a forearm in the corner. Boot by Thomas. He sends Mannix head first into the buckle with his feet. German suplex attempt blocked. Back suplex. Knee to the midsection by Mannix. Another knee followed by a running knee. Skyy with a boot. Thomas sent into the turnbuckle. Some choking. Boot by Thomas. Series of strikes. Whip across and a clothesline. Finally, Raymond tags in. Stomp to Skyy. Snapmare and a running clothesline. Skyy sent into the turnbuckle. Able hits a dropkick. Skyy tags Treznik. Drop toehold into a leg drop by Treznik. Able reverses a whip and gets a powerslam. Treznik tries fighting out of the corner. Able ties him up and gets a neckbreaker. Senton across the midsection by Able. He wraps Treznik up and chokes him with his leg. Triple kicks by the babyfaces. Mannix breaks the count. Thomas with strikes. Big kick and a right hand to Treznik. Up and around with a pele kick. Straight right hand. Treznik rams Thomas into the corner. Right hand by Skyy. Stomps. Mannix does much of the same as the Clash works Thomas over. Thomas elbows out of a hold by Treznik. Awkward roll-up sequence. Treznik grapevines the leg to prevent the hot tag. Thomas tags Able. Clotheslines for everyone. Back drop. Skyy waistlock from behind but he gets sent in the corner. Accidental clothesline by Treznik. Alabama slam by Able. Raymond hits an asai moonsault to the floor. Able catches Skyy and lawn darts him. LARIAT! 1-2-NO! Treznik back rakes Able. Bus Driver countered. Springboard kick by Raymond. Skyy sent into two of the corners. Boot by Raymond. Vegematic. Mannix saves the day. Raymond sent outside. Skyy hits a series of forearms. Boot out of the corner. Spinning bulldog. Leg drop off the top by Treznik. Raymond prevents the pinfall. Boot from Skyy. Into the corner with elbows. Raymond rolls and superkicks Treznik. STO into the backbreaker into the DDT by Skyy. Thomas takes Skyy down. Roundhouse kick on Mannix. Pumphandle slam by Able on Mannix. Bus Driver by Treznik. 1-2-NO! Raymond breaks the count. Punch exchange between Treznik and Raymond. Chinbreaker on Able by Treznik. Raymond gets booted. Able goes for a powerbomb but Skyy nails him. DDT. Thomas gets tagged in. Cleanser countered. Kicks from Thomas. One final one gets Thomas the victory.
Match Analysis: This was a great showcase of six great athletes. So happy Thomas got to show what he can do because he’s a solid athlete. Not a great psychological thriller, but a lot of quality action despite some sloppiness. Would love to see all six men battle again in some combination.
Winner (s)/Time/ Rating: Josh Raymond, Christian Able, and T.D. Thomas/13:37/***1/4
-Silas Young is as cocky as ever, even though he’s wrestling Michael Elgin in a 2 out of 3 falls match for the heavyweight championship later tonight. Young vows to retain the championship in not so many words.
-AAW Tag Team Championship: Arik Cannon and Jimmy Jacobs (champions) vs. Darin Corbin and Marion Fontaine
Match in Five Words or Less: Team Minnesota Explodes!
Match Highlights: Weird to see Cannon and Corbin on opposite sides of a match. Fontaine and Jacobs start things off. Into the corner. Jacobs slap him high five. That’s nice of him. Fontaine rolls out of a wristlock and points at his moustache. Knee and a clubbering blow from Jacobs. Headbutt. Hip toss blocked. Boot by Jacobs. Hip toss blocked again. Fontaine manages two of his own. Jacobs finally gets one and tags Cannon. Fontaine rolls to his corner and brings Corbin in. Things settle down as they stay basic. Neither man can kip up until they get to the ropes. Indy stand-off. Cannon gives Corbin a beer. Corbin id disgusted by the alcohol and tags Fontaine. Cannon takedown and he asks for a beer. Jacobs obliges. Spit in Corbin’s face. Elbow drop on Fontaine. Jacobs with a double axehandle. Choke drop into a straight choke. Jacobs puts Fontaine’s head band on. Snapmare and a dropkick to the back by Cannon. Chop sends Fontaine down. Bodyslam. Jacobs with a series of double stomps. Elbow drop off the middle rope. Straight right hand. Fontaine with a shot to the back and tea bag. Double team hip toss from the challengers. Double fist drop. Corbin with a snap suplex. Shot to the back by Fontaine. Straight left hand and a dropkick. Corbin elbow strike to the back. Left hand in the corner. Jacobs leaps but Corbin drives his midsection into his knees. Left hand by Corbin. Whip. Jacobs come out with a spear. Cannon gets met with a series of leg lariats by Fontaine. Spinebuster by Corbin. Springboard moonsault by Fontaine gets two. Cannon boots and enziguris Fontaine. Series of standing switches. Big right hand by Corbin. Brainbuster but the count is broken up. Jacobs kicks Fontaine out of the ring. Fontaine sends Cannon out. Jacobs sends Fontaine out. Guillotine choke by Jacobs. Fontaine superkicks him. Series of superkicks. Cannon with a big right hand. Duel Laurinitis crushers by Corbin and Jacobs. Everyone is down. Jacobs and Corbin go back and forth. Cannon intercepts Corbin with a shove. O’Connor roll but Cannon is sent into Jacobs. They begin fighting once again. Corbin and Fontaine try to take advantage. Jacobs gets the Guillotine choke as Cannon gets Total Anarchy. Cannon gets the three count. Champions somehow retain.
Match Analysis: You’ve gotta give AAW credit for having Cannon and Jacobs continue to feud despite being the champions together. I’m not going to suggest it’s a great idea to have the tag champs not get along, but it least keeps Cannon and Jacobs interesting and not simply forced into a position where they have to lose to Silas Young like everyone else on the roster does. Fontaine and Corbin are showing some really good continuity as a team within AAW. Although they lose here, they could easily be champions at some point in the future.
Winner (s)/Time/ Rating: STILL AAW Tag Team Champions-Arik Cannon and Jimmy Jacobs/13:17/***1/4
-Dan Lawrence thanks Marcus Crane for showing up before going over his frustrations about not being able to wrestle Shane Hollister on this night. Instead, Davey Richards gets the opportunity instead. Jim Lynam reassures Lawrence of his position. So everything is all good… right?
-Mason Beck literally boots and Beck Mountains a dude in about five seconds before laying down a challenge to face someone else. Well, lucky for him, there’s just someone else for Mr. Beck to face.
-Mason Beck vs. ACH
Match in Five Words or Less: Back To Killin Dudes
Match Highlights: Crazy to think ACH is making his debut in AAW here. Hopefully this is the first of many appearances for him. Ducks and dodges from ACH. Combination of strikes before eating a boot that sends him down. Clubbering blows. Right hand. Whip across. Shoulder into the post. ACH springboards with a dropkick. Clothesline and he ends up on the outside of the ring. A hug for a ringsider. Beck catches him in an overhead slam. Boot to ACH. Bodyslam. Choking along the bottom rope. ACH with weak shots. Elbow from Beck. Well placed boot. Leaping headbutt to the midsection. Another one. Beck with a knee strike to ACH. ACH whipped into the corner hard. Another whip and ACH goes down. Another stomp. Whip across. Stinger splash misses. ACH runs up across his back. No bodyslam. Boot misses. Stunner hits for ACH. Running kick combo and a shining wizard. ACH lifts Beck up but he gets nailed with a boot. Beck Mountain and this match is ovuh.
Match Analysis: I can think of a lot of matches for ACH to make his debut and showcase himself well in. This wasn’t one of them. ACH did show a great ability to wrestle from behind and sell, but this is a guy who brings energy into a wrestling ring. I’d love to see him wrestle some fellow high flyers. ACH did not come off as someone special here. Not to say he won’t have a successful AAW career because of one match, but I would have loved to have seen a more auspicious debut for someone who’s being so highly touted across the Midwest independent scene.
Winner (s)/Time/ Rating: Mason Beck/5:50/**
-Mike Elgin says he will prove himself to be the best wrestler in AAW.
-Davey Richards vs. Shane Hollister
Match in Five Words or Less: Damn You Roll-ups!
Match Highlights: Some mat work gets this match underway. Richards locks in a cloverleaf but Hollister gets to the bottom rope. Headlock by Richards. Shoulder tackle. Leapdfrog. Quick roll-up which Richards transitions into a rocking chair. Another roll-up but now Hollister gets a rocking chair. Quick two count. Right hand and a headbutt by Hollister. Exchange of strikes. Spin kick by Richards. Stiff one right to the chest. Wow. Impactful I’d say. Another one. Kick turned into a dragon screw legwhip by Hollister. This is the pretext to start working over the leg. Big elbow strikes in the corner. Uppercut. Whip reversed. Richards leapfrogs and eventually connects on a dropkick. Hollister heads outside. Hollister prevents being punted and tosses Richards into the edge of the ring face first. Forearm. Kick to the chest. Richards counters into a series of kicks. Hollister reverses a whip into the rail. Hollister sends Richards back into the ring. Kicks by Hollister. Snapmare and a one footed kick to Richards. Richards is prone. Kicks from Hollister. A third one is blocked. Forearm exchange. Big right hand sends Richards down. Bodyslam. He thrusts but gets belted with a kick. Running forearm misses. Duck of a charge. Richards head sent into the turnbuckle. Low bridge. One punt misses. Third time is the charm however. Tope suicida. Hollister sent back in the ring. Richards has issues on the top rope. He gets caught but recovers and connects on a dropkick. Hollister gets a huge kick. Block of an exploder. Right hand by Hollister. Richards sees no reason to sell this. Exchange of hard shots. Running forearm and exploder leads to a two count for Richards. Hollister gets an enzguri. Richards with a kick to the side of the head. German suplex. Double stomp on Hollister. Slap exchange. Yeesh. Spin kick exchange. Hollister hits a final cut and gets a nearfall. Vertical suplex blocked. Hollister placed on the top rope. Another kick and Hollister is sprawled across the top rope. Elbows from Hollister. Headbutts by Richards. Superplex. Float over into a falcon arrow. 1-2-NO! Transition into the ankle lock. Hold gets broken up. Superkick by Hollister. Quick roll-up and Richards picks up the victory.
Shane Hollister brainbusters Davey Richards immediately afterward. Dan Lawrence makes the save… sort of… and challenges Hollister to a match at the next show.
Match Analysis: The funny part about this match is Hollister felt like Richards’s equal moreso here than in the match they had back in February 2011. Good back and forth action that is pretty typical of a Davey Richards match. I enjoyed this for it was.
Winner (s)/Time/ Rating: Davey Richards/16:52/***1/4
-Danny Daniels (w/Truth Martini) vs. MsChif
Match in Five Words or Less: Daniels Being Mischievious
Match Highlights: MsChif attacks Daniels from behind and screams in Martini’s face. Blind charge sends Daniels flailing into the rail. Chops to the chest. Screaming and an eye poke. Into an octopus. Daniels grabs the middle rope. Martini trips MsChif. He tries a double axehandle but gets screamed at. Kicks from MsChif. Rana…sort of… to the floor. Spear into the rail. Chop to the chest and a double stomp. Standing moonsault gets two. Daniels rips MsChif down by the hair. Back outside the ring. Martini has a belt ready to use on MsChif. Whip to the butt. Daniels rakes her face. Back in the ring. Daniels beels her by the hair. He gets on the stick and says he’s embarrassed to be in the ring with a woman. Daniels says if MsChif wins, he’ll quit AAW. Quick small package gets two. Snapmare into a Boston crab. Into the corner and Daniels talks crap. Slaps by MsChif. Daniels tears her out. Swinging full nelson before putting her down. MsChif rams him into the corner. Low dropkick. Martini gets drop toeholed into Daniels’s groin. Martini sent groin first into the buckle. Chops by MsChif. Back fist. MsChif sends Daniels arm hard into the mat. Daniels hits a chop. Gory special. MsChif counters with a Code Green into the two count. Northern lights suplex blocked. Handful of hair into the clothesline. Daniels sets MsChif for a spike piledriver. Counter and a swinging DDT. Martini’s groin has taken a real beating tonight.Rana on Martini turned into a spike piledriver attempt. MsChif counters into a roll-up. Samoan drop by Daniels. Martini pulls off his boot. Martini hits his own man with a boot. Foot stomp and scream sends Martini out of the ring. Boot to the head only gets two. Bodyslam from Daniels. Mist in the face. Roll-up. 1-2-NO! Knees to the midsection. Headscissors into the submission. Daniels won’t tap out. Daniels pulls the official over. Right hand from Daniels. Piledriver gets a nearfall! MsChif placed on the top rope. Daniels follows up. Shots from MsChif. Martini sends her off. Cross body. Daniels lifts her up and drops down in a tombstone piledriver.
Match Analysis: AAW did everything in their power to make you believe MsChif was going to win this match, including a stipulation added in the middle with Daniels putting his career on the line. Not a fan of simply throwing the stip out there with no explanation, but they told a hell of a story here. Solid wrestling from both individuals as they engaged the audience in yet another solid contest.
Winner (s)/Time/ Rating: Danny Daniels/14:45/***1/4
-Ryland Foxx gives a pep talk to the Awesome Threesome. These four on camera together equals utter death.
-2 out of 3 Falls-AAW Heavyweight Championship: Silas Young (w/Val Malone) (champion) vs. Michael Elgin (AAW Heritage Champion)
Match in Five Words or Less: 2006 All Over Again
Match Highlights: Elgin immediately goes for the crossface, but the champion departs. Young gets a forearm. Elgin fires out of the corner himself. Champion exits again. Takedown and a quick cover for two. Things turn basic as each man works the arm. Elgin grabs an armbar. Armdrag into an armbar for Young. Exchange of holds. Shoulder blocks go nowhere. Elgin catches Young in a powerslam. Chop by Elgin. Clubbering blow to the back. Exchange of blows on the outside. Elgin drops Young back first on the frame. Two count back in the ring. Forearm. Shoulder blocks in the corner. Clubbering blows by Young but Elgin again drives him in the corner. Shots across the chest. Kick by the champion. Chop. Elgin says bring it. Another chop by Elgin. Kick to the knee by Young. Elgin sent head first into the turnbuckle. Blows to the back by Young. Elgin lifts Young in a stalling vertical suplex. Whip to the corner. Elgin misses a charge. Waistlock but Elgin blocks. Series of elbows. Back to the forearms. A big running forearm gets two. Young drives Elgin back in the corner. Back elbow. Chop. Elgin shakes his head. Whip reversed and Young is sent hard. Stomp by Elgin. Elbow drop to the back. Modified camel clutch. Elbows by Young. Elgin hits a backbreaker. Stomps by Elgin. Leg drop while Young is prone on the side of the ring. Elgin puts sunglasses on and gives the champion a chance to ram him into the guard rail. Elgin slowly gets back in the ring. Another shoulder tackle and a springboard back elbow. Chinbreaker by Young. Boot to the midsection by the challenger. Out of the powerbomb and Elgin rams his shoulder into the post. Stomps and Elgin’s shoulder driven into the mat. Young hammerlocks the arm. Stomp on the arm. Hard blow to the back. Elgin’s arm wrapped in the ropes. Elgin with a series of punches using the good arm. Young with more hard blows. Young continues working the left arm. Snapmare into an armbar. Elgin begins firing away out of it. Elgin with right hands. Boot to the midsection. Young avoids the lariat and drives the shoulder into his knee. Hammerlock. Strikes from Elgin. Drop toehold into the middle rope. Elgin ties the arm up. Armdrag by Elgin. Leaping acecrusher and both men are down. Right hand exchange. Elgin ducks. German blocked. Back elbows by the challenger. Whip into the corner. Boots up from Young. Trio of German suplexes and he bridges for two. Powerbomb blocked. Young sends Elgin into the corner. Running boot. 1-2-NO! Elgin stands over the champion. To the forearms he goes. Young comes from behind. Superkick to the ribs. Suplex blocked. Armblower by Young.1-2-NO! Nagasaki roll blocked. Elgin forearms him into the corner. Running forearm and back elbow. Enziguri to the side of the head. Young with a boot. Elgin hits an air raid crash. 1-2-NO! Kick by Young. Elgin flips him out of the corner. Young tornado divorce courts Elgin. 1-2-NO! Into the fujiwara armbar. Elgin hits the backbreaker/lariat combination. 1-2-NO! Back and forth they go again. O’Connor roll blocked. Right hand by Young. Charge ducked. Young climbs to the top but gets crotched. Elgin follows Young. Leaping kick. Top rope back superplex! Kick blocked. Boot by Elgin. Nagasaki roll by the champion. Pee gee Waja Plunge. Spinning backfist. Bucklebomb into the spinning powerbomb. 1-2-3. Elgin wins the first fall.
Elgin gets a nearfall for two to start the second fall.. Straight right hand. Young low bridges. Elgin shoved into the rail. Elgin sends Young into the rail. Young Russian legsweeps Elgin into the rail. 1-2-NO! Stomp by Young and an armbar. Elgin rams Young into the corner, but the champion is persistent. Elgin counters into a crossface. Young rolls over for two. Young grabs the arm once again. Elgin drives Young into the mat. Val Malone comes in to break the count. Young goes into his tights for some powder. Someone has been watching F.I.S.T. 1-2-NO! Elgin hits a Bossman slam on Malone. Into the corner and a lariat by Elgin. Elgin stares at the prone Val Malone. Here come some more referees to help her out. Mason Beck runs out. Forearm by Elgin on him. Big splash. Beck sent into the rails. Elgin comes off the top rope but gets hit with the championship belt. PJ Drummond runs in and counts three. We’re tied at one fall apiece.
Jimmy Jacobs takes Mason Beck out. Spear on Young and he holds the title up. Cannon grabs the belt from him. The tag team champions argue over the belt as the actual competitors are down. Beer can to the head of Young. Back and forth Jacobs and Cannon go. End Time by Jacobs. Cannon counters into a brainbuster. Elgin clotheslines Cannon. Young spears Jacobs. Both men are outside the ring now. Young sends Elgin into the guard rail. Elgin sends Young into the crowd. They take a tour of the Berwyn Eagles. Young continues working the left arm into various chairs and tables. Elgin sends a garbage can into the champion. Elgin sends Young back over the rail. Boot and a right hand by Young. Elgin with a right hand. Knee to the gut by Young. Into the post he goes. Stomps by Elgin. Elgin goes for a powerbomb on the outside. Kick from Young and a pedigree. Elgin hits a Chaos Theory! 1-2-NO! Fans are standing and into this one. Elgin climbs to the top rope. Twisting senton but no one home. Young hits the pedigree. 1-2-NO! Nagasaki Roll. Pee Gee Waja Plunge. 1-2-NOOOOOOO! Backfist ducks. Nagasaki roll hits. Elgin hits the backfist and the champion rolls out of the ring. Young kicks Elgin away. Then he tries to pull an Austin Aries and run away. Elgin catches him and drags him back. Hey, at least the fans didn’t chant “Don’t come back.” Power bomb countered. Young hits a third pedigree. 1-NOOOOOOO! Right hands from Young. Pele by the challenger. 1-2-NO! Clothesline blocked. Two straight backfists. Bucklebomb. Spinning powerbomb. 1-2-NOOOOOOO! Elgin applies the crossface. Young rolls but Elgin gets the hold again. Bell rings. No tapout. We have ourselves a draw.
Elgin wants five more minutes. Silas Young turns him down to HUUGE heat. That’s how you act like a heel everyone.
Match Analysis: To go 60 minutes is almost unheard of in modern professional wrestling. To go 60 minutes and keep the match entertaining and engaging is a whole nother battle. Just an incredible back and forth battle that solidified Silas Young as one of the best indy wrestlers in the country. He doesn’t need Evolve or Ring of Honor to prove to anyone just how good he is. Elgin on the other hand had another star level performance just three weeks after losing to Davey Richards down in Ft. Lauderdale. My respect for both men is raised tenfold because of this match. This was like the antithesis of some of the recent draws I’ve seen. Even the Jacobs/Cannon interaction wasn’t as hokey as it could have been and did a good job keeping fans into things. This undoubtedly one of the best matches in AAW history. However, this is also a contender for MOTYC in 2012. I hope people can see this match and really appreciate the hard work put in by both men.
Winner (s)/Time/ Rating: Time limit draw/60:00/****1/2
-Shane Hollister tries to talk, but Marcus Crane is being an annoying little bastard. Hollister has cross words for Lawrence, who will be his opponent in May.
-Arik Cannon is drinking. Jimmy Jacobs is annoyed. This tag partnership just isn’t working. Jacobs wants the heavyweight title. Cannon says this partnership is working and calls the belts great. Jacobs says he won’t be at the May show.
-Young gloats about going 60 minutes. Apparently, it’s a battle royal next month to determine a challenger for Young’s title.
The Verdict: Point of No Return is an easy thumbs up show for the main event alone. The rest of the show managed to deliver in a number of key areas as well.
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Danny Daniels still works? Huh. Surprised about Elgin going 60 minutes. Physically, he doesn’t look like the type that could. Hell of a talent though.