I wasn’t quite sure where I wanted to include the information about what happened between Jimmy Jacobs and Arik Cannon. As much as I can’t get what happened both in the match and after out of my mind, there are a number of guys on this card who deserve the credit for making War is Coming another very good AAW show. Michael Elgin and Sami Callihan tore it up in the main event and brought me back from an abyss of anger. Davey Richards and Silas Young had the type of match where only one guy will get the credit for having “another great match” (Hint: Not the guy who comes out to Journey). Shane Hollister and ACH had another excellent athletic contest. Even the women of Shimmer worked hard. Yet I can’t understand what possessed Arik Cannon and Jimmy Jacobs to behave the way they did.
My memory may be a bit fuzzy and whatever I can’t quite hash out will be explained in the forthcoming DVD review of the show. If any of you have seen the main event from Reign of Violence, you knew what a weird match Cannon and Jacobs had with Zero Gravity. There were lots of shenanigans, a lot of drinking, and Cannon stiffing the bajesus out of CJ Esparza and Bret Gakiya. I sort of wrote it off as unusual circumstances and moved on. Last month, neither guy was on the show, so there wasn’t an opportunity for things to get weird.
Then it happened.
Cannon and Jacobs wrestled Danny Daniels and Jesse Emerson for the AAW tag team titles. What should have been a ten minute midcard match was thrust into the semi-main event position and went 17 mind-numbing minutes. They brawled through the crowd and around ringside. Cannon and Jacobs tossed beer all over the place again, even getting liquid in the ring. If this is the main event of a show, whatever, but there was still one match left on this night and anywhere between 20 and 25 matches going on the rest of the weekend with Shimmer running. Also consider this. War is Coming had ten matches. The show was at around the three hour mark already. The aforementioned main eventers had to be California for PWG the next night. Michael Elgin was already signed to wrestle twice. Why in the blue hell is a tag team match where the winners are never in doubt being allowed to go this along?
If it was just the match going long, then this rant doesn’t happen. However, there was a promo. Now I admit to only speculating here, but my hunch is Cannon was supposed to briefly (emphasis on that word) talk about Irish Airborne, how he and Jacobs didn’t get along but how they needed to show those Crist brothers the what for at the next show. What took me one long sentence took them 10-15 excruciating minutes. And believe me, it felt longer. I legitimately have not felt this uncomfortable at a wrestling show since the Corgan brothers were in a ring together. Cannon and Jacobs were talking about masturbation and sex in the ring while figuratively masturbating. They talked about having sex with each other, and there was honestly some stuff I missed because I was being distracted by Twitter and my friend asking what the hell was going on (My response was, “This show has fallen off the cliff”) They got their goofy little promo over with some of the crowd, but they sold out what AAW is about. AAW has become a very respected independent wrestling promotion expressly because their talent doesn’t go off the hinges and do whatever they want in the ring. I don’t care if Cannon’s gimmick is being drunk all the time (not speaking for Jacobs), but what they did was unprofessional, and if I were in AAW’s position, I would consider strong disciplinary action.
I think about guys like Jacobs and Cannon as respected veterans in wrestling. Two guys who have been around the block. Whether they like it or not, they’re role models for younger talent. For them to go out there and act the way they do sets a bad example for everyone else. If I pulled the equivalent of what Jacobs and Cannon did at my job, no matter how much other people or other co-workers laughed, I’d be fired in about five seconds, and I would deserve it. AAW is in a position where people want to be in the company. There are 10 matches a night with a really crowded locker room. If two guys want to masturbate in the ring, find two guys who want to wrestle and take the product seriously.
Speaking of two wrestlers who want to be in AAW, let’s talk about Sami Callihan and Michael Elgin. These guys redeemed the show for me. It’s unfortunate one 30 minute segment soured the rest of the show but these two guys topped their PWG match and delivered an action packed contest. Great back and forth action. For 25 minutes, they tore the house down, and for this match alone, War is Coming deserves a thumbs up. I have no idea what the future holds for Callihan, but to me, both guys are nearing the point of being ready for mainstream television. Great effort from these guys.
Speaking of great effort, Silas Young actually wrestled before intermission. What an odd sight. Thankfully, he was still able to put together a borderline classic with Davey Richards. Another great wrestling contest. I loved the story of Young countering a lot of Richards’s usual offense. Richards won with a roll-up to retain his number one contendership. This sets up a very interesting match for Windy City Classic as in a sense we get the completion to the Richards/Elgin 2012 trilogy. Even though they’ve wrestled in Florida for Ring of Honor and Reseda for Pro Wrestling Guerilla, this is a chance for the Midwest to see what they can do against each other. I am very much looking forward to these two having a match of the year contender. Am I bummed Silas isn’t going to be in the main event of one of the biggest shows in history? A little but at least Richards has earned the right to wrestle for the AAW title by beating Hollister, Callihan, Finlay, and Young to earn a match.
Ken Shamrock was announced as the guest for Windy City Classic next month, but they reinforced this with a video package last night. I can only speculate, but it seems like Callihan or Young are the logical contenders to wrestle him. To me, Young has wrestled every guest star that has appeared the last year and could make for an interesting clash of styles. Nonetheless, I honestly see Callihan as being able to deliver the best possible match simply because he can dish it out and take it. I will hopefully get a chance to really expand my thoughts on the Ken Shamrock situation during a preview podcast.
Back to War is Coming. Shane Hollister and ACH had another great match as you can really tell their chemistry is building. There was interference of course, but it was thankfully the only match on the card where direct interference played a factor. This was a really athletic contest as mentioned before, and both guys certainly deserve to be booked everywhere. If you’re a wrestling promotion and not bringing ACH in, I don’t know what you’re thinking about. I believe Hollister’s severe injury a couple years has held him back, but he also deserves more opportunities. Hopefully, the panty conversion (trademark Kevin Ford) will make a difference.
Another group making an impact is “We are coming” led by Kevin Harvey. They picked up another victory as AAW appears to be taking things slow with them. Probably for the best based on a need to really bring in an A level talent. Keith Walker was back in the ring for the first time in quite a number of months, and boy did he look uncomfortable. A lot of awkwardness coming back and I sincerely hope he can work the kinks out. Considering he’s one of the few big men in the promotion and can add that bodyguard feeling to this group, I think having Walker around adds credibility to a group that really needs it.
Kyle O’Reilly and Mr. Miller went a whopping eight minutes and basically meant very little. O’Reilly has lost a lot in this promotion so I see the logic in actually picking up the victory, but Mr. Miller has seemingly been stuck in this same opening card position for much of the year. Yes, he has potential. However, in order for him to elevate up the card he needs to prove he can have longer, better matches and win once in a while. Hopefully, this match happens again in AAW, and they can get more time. A feud to elevate Miller would not be completely out of line.
Dan Lawrence and Davey Vega had a match. It was fine. Lawrence held the tights. I desperately want to see Mat Fitchett come back because Vega is completely lost right now. Darin Corbin and Marion Fontaine had a match against Marcus Crane and Austin Mannix. It seemed to only literally be there so Joey Eastman could stun someone. Not that there’s anything wrong with that. Eastman was in town for Shimmer and laid down a challenge for Bourbon Street as it will be his men against Kevin Harvey’s. Great to see Eastman back and so many matches already set up for the Windy City Classic.
Shimmer had a great opportunity to showcase itself with two matches instead of one. I would have liked to have seen the four way between Kellie Skater, Christina Von Eerie, Nicole Mathews, and Athena get more time, but when there are ten matches, something like this will get the short end of the stick. Saraya Knight was a bit toned down, but her match with MsChif was still good. Truth Martini spit mist in MsChif’s face and set up a match for next month, which should be tons of fun.
War is Coming is an easy thumbs up show sans the tag team title match, which I honestly hope is completely cut and never spoken about again. Two four star matches anchor the show. The midcard and tag team division still desperately need work, but at least the promotion is putting on shows where there are must see matches. This is how you can at least start building a promotion. Definitely check this out on DVD.