Reign of Violencewas very simply one of AAW’s biggest shows of the year for one year. After four months of interaction between them, the numerous promos and threats, Eddie Kingston and Silas Young were booked at last to wrestle for the first time. I was anticipating this match a great, perhaps too much. If this were a midcard match thrown on an ROH card, I probably would have enjoyed it more. As the main event of a show with so many matches that had already delivered in a big way, it felt a bit underwhelming. Alex Colon’s involvement, which may elevate his standing in independent wrestling, felt tacked onto the end of the match. Kingston and Young are clearly going to wrestle at least one more time, maybe a few more times. I understand the need to save some moves and general craziness for later matches, but based on the way this match was booked, I think it would have worked better as the match before intermission instead of the main event. This was a good brawl that clearly engaged the crowd, but I think the ending left everyone a little flat. If nothing else, the post-match promos nullified some of my feelings about the end because these two are that good at what they do. While I understand the importance of the feud, I think match placement hindered it a bit.
I know it’s a bit weird to have the AAW Heritage title in the main event slot, but it’s also a bit weird to have the AAW Heavyweight Championship as the fourth match on the show (more on that in the next paragraph). ACH and Kyle O’Reilly are two of the brightest stars shining in independent wrestling. There should be no doubt how good these guys are because they deliver every time out. Naturally, the fact that these two wrestled twice in five days gave the matches a similar quality, but ACH was the clear babyface here while O’Reilly went slightly heel. This was a big spectacle and had the crowd standing on their feet by the end. A bit of a slow start quickly transitioned into a back and forth high impact bout. They pulled out the frog splash into the triangle choke spot for the first time ever, and ACH made it to the ropes. Thanks to the build of the PWG match, I think the spot came off better there. ACH finally ended the match with a flurry, finally pinning O’Reilly with the Spirit Bomb. Just a tremendous one-on-one match. The only thing that could potentially hold these two guys back has nothing to do with their in-ring skill.
Seriously, how weird is it to have Shane Hollister defending the title in the fourth match on the show? And for him to call Miller a loser who doesn’t deserve a title match in a prematch promo? Very strange. I know AAW title matches have happened under this circumstance before, but did anyone believe Junthai Miller had a chance? This was a very good match even under less than ideal circumstances, but I certainly thought it should have been shifted elsewhere. I’m not married to the rule of heavyweight title matches being the main event, but I’m divorced from the idea that they be on this early…and not even before intermission. Regardless of my feelings on placement, definitely check out what these guys did. Miller has stepped up his game recently, and I wish we could see him in other places. A very hard-hitting, almost like a mini-Davey Richards versus a mini-Low Ki match finally ended with Hollister retaining after Shug’s Last Step.
Based on who the challenges for the tag team championships were, I understand why they were slotted so early. Kung Fu Manchu of Marion Fontaine and Louis Lyndon had their first successful defense against Dan Lawrence and Marcus Crane. Based on the match and post-match promo, Lawrence is meant to be a mentor for Crane, but in reality he’s as goofy and dumb as he is. Given how great the rest of the cards have become, I’m less concerned about a token comedy or popcorn match involving these two. Crane is very entertaining, and I’m almost convinced that keeping Lawrence around is good piece of karma as well as a nod to the history of the company. The match itself was decently entertaining but not a mat classic. These guys had a lot to try and top from earlier. Lots of goofiness and shenanigans from the heels. Fontaine and Lyndon are clearly being built as AAW’s top team both because they are the champions and as a team they haven’t lost.
The tag team match that Kung Fu Manchu/Lawrence and Crane had to follow was the opener, a tremendous second match between Zero Gravity and Monster Mafia. Putting little guys against big guys doesn’t always work, but when it does, it’s generally some of the strongest material on a show. These two teams have dynamite chemistry and had fans chanting “This is awesome” in the first match. It felt a bit like PWG with the way these guys were hitting moves and doing false finishes. Partially because of this match and the three title matches, I’m sure that’s why the second half fell a little flat and also hurt the main event specifically. I could watch these two teams wrestle all day. They kept up the pace for 11 minutes. Action started right away with low bridges and double dives by ZG. Bret Gakiya and CJ Esparza finally won with jackknife pins in a spectacular opener. This is how a company starts a show off in 2013, with a great match that immediately captures their attention.
The other tag match on the show featured the last time Arik Cannon and Jimmy Jacobs would ever be in an AAW ring together (one can only hope) as they faced Irish Airborne to settle a feud that has essentially gone two years. This was taken seriously, and I can honestly say with 100% confidence, Arik Cannon wasn’t the drunkest performer on the show. Their match extended into a brawl that of course went all around the Eagles Club. It’s pretty much a rule that at least one match on an AAW card features extended crowd brawling. I can take it or leave it, but the live crowd loves it. IA isolated Jacobs while keeping Cannon off the apron. When Cannon finally got it, the pace picked up. He eventually ended things after pinning Jake Crist with a brainbuster. Probably the best you could have asked for from these men. Afterward, Irish Airborne teased some tweaks to their characters by discussing “Ohio being for killers.” OINK IS COMING TO AAW!
Speaking of promos, we got one from Marek Brave. Brave discussed pro wrestling opportunities and it being an addiction. After speaking about teaching Christian Rose respect, he immediately went to the locker room and brawled with Rose. Obviously, this feud must continue. I’m fine with that. I guess Heidi Lovelace is still feuding with Jordan McEntyre and Heather Patera. What started out as a handicap match turned into a tag as Ryan Boz helped Lovelace out. McEntyre ate a Boz driver (take a drink) to take yet another loss. Lovelace and Patera were going along perfectly well before the intergender stuff sunk their feud. I hope these two are going back to wrestling each other or more women are being brought in. They’re both extremely talented, but the previous two shows they’ve both been on haven’t exactly showcased their abilities.
One of the more interesting potential match-ups since Keith Walker’s return has been one with Michael Elgin. It’s one of the rare times in indie wrestling we can see two big bruisers beat each other up and it not be a blog. These are two guys who can go. Both guys are in the best shapes of their lives. Both men got showcase victories as poisons for Tony Rican and Knight Wagner. Walker beat Rican in expedient fashion, a borderline squash. Wagner looked a bit more competitive and appears to be improving both his in-ring work and his body. Walker and Elgin both won and were teased as soon to have a match against each other. Elgin, however, was not done. He interrupted an Alex Colon/Mat Fitchett and inserted himself in, thus violating one of my pet peeves of wrestling…the random three way match involving people not feuding. Maybe it was the chemistry between Fitchett and Elgin, but this was a million times better than I was expecting. The action was good. Pace was brisk. Some good fun had by all. Elgin pinned Colon after his spinning powerbomb. I’m not sure what to think about Colon. I’ve seen a great of both his CZW and AAW work at this pioint. He’s clearly competent in the ring, but it feels like there’s something missing which I can’t put my finger on. Hopefully, teaming with Kingston will help.
Overall, there was a lot of good wrestling to be had. With the exception of the main event, everything at least met expectations with the opener and Heritage title match exceeding them. Only a couple matches felt irrelevant, and I was happy with some of the storyline developments. I like that they’re even teasing Matt Cage coming in eventually on his terms. I think he can wrestle ACH and have it feel like a big deal since AAW is being portrayed as going after Cage, and Cage’s promo abilities make a huge difference in the presentation as well. A show well worth buying and a bit of a rebound after Scars and Stripes.
Also a side note: I think a lot of people will notice Dave Prazak’s commentary on this show based on his behavior. When I look at where AAW is in 2013 compared to 2008 and 2009, there almost is no comparison. The spotlight is on them more than ever. This means that everyone who performs on the show needs to be at their best. Wrestlers, managers, referees, and announcers need to be at their absolute best. Management has an obligation to themselves and the fanbase to present the best possible product at all times.
Grade: B
**********************************************************************************************************************
-Taped from Berwyn, Illinois
Commentators: Phil Colvin and DRUNK Dave Prazak
-Zero Gravity defeat Monster Mafia (Josh Alexander and Ethan Page) with double jackknife pins/11:26/***1/2
-Pick Your Poison: Keith Walker (w/Kevin Harvey) defeats Tony Rican after a lariat/4:47/*
-Pick Your Poison: Michael Elgin defeats Knight Wagner after a spinning powerbomb/6:01/**
-Kung Fu Manchu successfully defend the AAW tag team titles over Dan Lawrence and Marcus Crane by pinfall. Fontaine pins Crane after a springboard moonsault/8:47/**3/4
-Shane Hollister (w/Scarlett, Dan Lawrence, and Marcus Crane) retains his AAW heavyweight championship over Junthai Miller by pinfall after Shug’s Last Step/14:39/***1/4
-ACH retains the Heritage Championship over Kyle O’Reilly by pinfall after the Spirit Bomb/18:59/****
-Ryan Boz and Heidi Lovelace defeat Heather Patera and Jordan McEntyre/8:04/*1/2
-Michael Elgin defeats Alex Colon and Mat Fitchett. Elgin pins Colon by pinfall after a spinning powerbomb/12:36/***1/2
-Arik Cannon and Jimmy Jacobs defeat Irish Airborne (Dave and Jake Crist) by pinfall. Cannon pins Jake Crist after a brainbuster/13:36/***1/4
-Eddie Kingston defeats Silas Young by pinfall after a low blow and Backfist/13:27/***1/4
For more information on AAW and their upcoming shows, check out AAW’s Website. To buy this and many otherAAW DVDs, check out Smart Mark Video. Below is a list of contact information for both the website and me.
Contact Pro Wrestling Ponderings!
E-mail: prowrestlingponderings@gmail.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/ProWrestlingPonderings
Twitter: www.twitter.com/pwponderings
Youtube: www.youtube.com/pwponderings
Contact Me!
E-mail: jcusson07@gmail.com
Twitter: www.twitter.com/jeromepwpeditor