-Taped from Berwyn, Illinois
-Your hosts are Phil Colvin and Derek St. Holmes
-Mason Beck (w/Val Malone) vs. Austin Mannix
Match in Five Words or Less: Squash
Match Summary/Analysis: AAW needs to make a shirt listing all the guys Beck has squashed these last few months. Mannix is just another victim. Mannix can’t execute a crossbody and Beck refuses to sell a clothesline off the second turnbuckle. JOBBER! Beck Mountain and this contest is over. Hopefully, Beck killing jobbers endlessly goes somewhere.
Winner (s)/Time/Rating: Mason Beck/2:46/1/2*
-Kevin Harvey is out. He has some significant announcements, but he invites AAW champion Silas Young to come out. Well, that’s awfully nice of him. Young says Raven is drunk in some hotel. Finally, a heel who speaks the truth. Harvey has a letter from Jim Lynam. Lynam can no longer serve as AAW owner/on air shit disturber. Harvey calls out Beck for last month’s shenanigans where Beck kicked Raven in the face and Young retained yet again. They go back and forth. The gist is Kevin Harvey is now in charge of the company. Mason Beck and Irish Airborne are banned from ringside in the world title match with serious ramifications if they don’t abide by the rules. Young vows everyone will soon have gold around their waists in his little stable.
-Awesome Threesome (Knight Wagner and Jordan McEntyre w/Eryn) vs. Samuray Del Sol and Samuray Del Luna
Match in Five Words or Less: Acceptable
Match Summary/Analysis: Del Sol uses lucha on McEntyre to take control of the match. Double team. Heels take control briefly. Del Luna uses some lucha of his own. Double team work from the Samurays but it takes forever for them to try and cover. Eryn trips Del Luna. Heat segment. Del Sol comes in a house of fire. This is the best he’s ever looked. Another nice dropkick. Del Luna dives on Wagner. McEntyre tosses Del Sol over, but he lands on his face. Reverse rand into the ring for a long two count. Ll four men in the ring. McEntyre superkicks Del Luna out of the ring. Standing sliced bread doesn’t work out so well. Wagner shifts the mask across Del Sol’s face. They hit Double Penetration (Assisted DDT) to get another win. Solid seven minutes. They continue keeping Awesome Threesome strong in the midcard.
Winner (s)/Time/Rating: Awesome Threesome/6:58/**
-Dave Prazak threatens Arik Cannon. If Cannon doesn’t beta Shiima Xion, the business relationship is done.
-Arik Cannon (w/Dave Prazak) vs. Shima Xion
Match in Five Words or Less: Losing Streak Over
Match Summary/Analysis: Feeling out process to start. Cannon tries pulling at the hair but is hit with a rana. Xion into a quick cover for two. Kick by Cannon. Armdrag attempt fails. Xion tosses Cannon in the air and hits double boots. Headscissors on the outside. Good start. Prazak becomes involved leading to Cannon taking control. Pace slows down significantly, and Prazak of course becomes involved. Crossbody by Xion for two. Cannon does a neckbreaker while yelling at some chick sitting at ringside. His interactions with the Berwyn faithful have to be seen to be fully appreciated. Stalling vertical suplex. He misses a moonsault. Xion with a comeback. DDT into a second rope moonsault. Crossface. Prazak helps Cannon into the ropes. Xion moves more to the center of the ring. Cannon gets his foot on the rope. Xion moves once again. Twisting neckbreaker for two. Cannon spins around. Xion gets a crucifix bomb. Punch to the throat. LARIAT! BRAINBUSTAH! Done. Very good little match from two of the more underrated competitors along the independent scene.
Winner (s)/Time/Rating: Arik Cannon/11:49/***
-Krotch doesn’t have a match scheduled for tonight, so Scarlet apparently booked a match for Krotch against KEITH WALKER. St. Holmes invites Krotch and Scarlet into his office to go over paperwork. I’ve seen porn that starts out like this. Awesome Threesome cut a gloating and mildly racist promo afterward.
Mena Libra vs. Naveah
Match in Five Words or Less: Women’s Wrestling Almost Gets Over
Match Summary/Analysis: Dave Prazak joins the commentary position since he books Shimmer. Navseah dominates early. She’s improved significantly since I last saw her in CHIKARA. Naveah fights off other members of the Clash just to make me wince. Mena Libra gains control, and she’s way different from a lot of other women’s wrestlers. Lots of power type moves and cheating. Her size also differentiates herself from a lot of the other women. In a good way. Ass first into Naveah in the corner. Neveah gets feet in the corner but on a second attempt is hit hard with a backbreaker. Naveah with a series of kicks. Running knee strike gets two. More interference from the outside. Samoan drop into a bridge and Mena Libra gets the win. Nothing extraordinary but Libra looked strong in the win.
Winner (s)/Time/Rating: Mena Libra/5:04/*1/2
-Truth Martini brags about now managing Walker. His promos are 100% better in AAW than ROH. It’s like watching a completely different person. Walker snarls.
-AAW Heritage Championship: Shane Hollister (champion) vs. Michael Elgin
Match in Five Words or Less: Stiff
Match Summary/Analysis: From Truth Martini to Michael Elgin. Fitting transition. Elgin uses his power early. Hollister uses his speed. Hollister pulls down the top rope. Dive to the outside. Spinning enziguri. Swinging DDT fails. Elgin hits a one-armed backbreaker. Good lord. Clubbering elbows in the corner. Hollister sent into the rail. He teases sending Hollister into the crowd but puts him in the ring. Such a heel move and so easy to execute. Elgin continues working Hollister’s back. Hollister goes for clotheslines but can’t knock him down. European uppercut. Side kick by Elgin. Springboard DDT by Hollister for two. Buzzsaw kick misses. O’Connor before delivering shots to the head by Elgin. Oklahoma stampede into a swinging uranagi. 1-2-NO! Charge in the corner. Northern lights bomb for two. Double stomp by Hollister. Charge by Elgin misses. Kick to the ear. Splash misses. Forearm exchange. Strikes by Hollister. Elgin with more forearms. REVERSE RANA BY HOLLISTER! CLOTHESLINE BY ELGIN! Knee by Hollister. Two count after a flying knee. Buzzsaw kick by Hollister gets three in a really good match. Elgin has been really good from what I’ve seen in 2011.
Winner (s)/Time/Rating: STILL AAW Heritage Champion- Shane Hollister/ 11:21/***1/2
-Mason Beck attacks from behind with a giant boot. Beck mountain, and he essentially books a match with Hollister for himself in some form or fashion at the next show.
-Dan Lawrence says it’s his biggest night and biggest opportunity ever. He claims to be liquored up and ready to go. Ryland Foxx interrupts. He’s looking for free agents to sign. Lawrence humors him for a bit before telling Foxx to drink piss.
-Irish Airborne (Jake and Dave Crist) vs. Darin Corbin and Chris Hall
Match in Five Words or Less: Good Night Bottom Rope
Match Summary/Analysis: The bottom rope is done for the night. We almost lost Jake Crist in the process because he was on the rope when it broke. Crists start the proceedings right away as all four men battle. Corbin and Hall double team Dave Crist. Nice assisted gutbuster. Enziguri by Jake. Dave does the same. Immediate heat segment. If it means less of Chris Hall wrestling, then we have a winner. Weird to think Corbin has become a babyface since he’s been a heel for so long. Corbin shimmies along the middle rope but gets kicked in the stomach. Corbin uses Jake to hit a sliced bread on Dave. Hall in. He does the things he can do well. Powerful strikes and moves. Press slam into a kick in the bread basket. Babyfaces take control. They screw up Cruz control badly. Hall hits a sloppy powerbomb of his partner on Jake. Poor Jake. Miscommunication leads to Corbin being crotched on the top rope. Double stomp into a spike piledriver. Yes, there were a couple botches, but this could have turned out far worse. Hall was kept out of the ring for the most part. Corbin might actually have something to do in AAW again, Irish Airborne are repositioned to be a top team in the company.
Winner (s)/Time/Rating: Irish Airborne/6:50/**
-Jimmy Jacobs said Young is on the verge of being beaten, and Young has been rolling the dice for months. How prophetic this promo was. This is the only shot Jacobs needs.
-Keith Walker (w/Truth Martini) vs. Krotch
Match in Five Words or Less: Well worked
Match Summary/Analysis: What could have been another extended squash actually turned out to be a fairly decent match. I was thinking as possible contender for worst match of the night in fact, but these two pulled a rabbit out of their ass. Here’s what made the match work so well. Krotch used his guile, speed, and some foreign objects to actually compete in the match. Walker of course tossed Krotch around. The announcers do a great job telling Krotch to stay down. Even Martini’s interference goes awry. My favorite hope spot was Krotch DDT’ing Walker on the chair and getting a 2.9. Even I thought there was a shot this match was over. Powerbomb. LARIAT! And Keith Walker gets another victory. I can’t say I’ve ever been a huge fan of either guy, but this was a tremendously well worked and executed match. Props to both guys.
Winner (s)/Time/Rating: Keith Walker/9:08/***1/4
-AAW Tag Team Championship: Zero Gravity (Bret Gakiya and CJ Esparza)(champion) vs. The Clash (Cameron Skyy and Tommy Treznik w/Mena Libra)
Match in Five Words or Less:
Match Summary/Analysis: Skyy starts out quickly. Esparza comes back and hits a twisting splash. Nice double team work by the champs. Champs hit dual suicide dives on each part of the ring. Esparza knocked out of the ring. Pumphandle slam into a facecrusher by Treznik. Time for Gakiya to get worked over. Gravity come back with an enziguri into a backslide. Flippy cup off the top fails. Treznik out of the way as Skyy hits a low blow. Heat segment on Esparza. Gakiya tags and hits a bunch of flippy moves on Treznik. Clash use Gakiya to knock his partner down. They send him down hard. Esparza superkicks Skyy while Gakiya rolls Treznik up for the victory. Good finish there. Solid match. I’ve basically given up on Clash as being mega heels and am just going to try appreciating their in-ring work
Winner (s)/Time/Rating: STILL AAW Tag Team Champions- Zero Gravity/10:56/***
-Clash continue to beat down the champions until Krotch comes in with a baseball bat to make the save.
-Darin Corbin is frustrated about losing and won’t be around to lose. He’ll be too busy DOING SLOW MO WRESTLING WITH GREAT SASUKE!
-AAW Heavyweight Championship: Silas Young (w/Val Malone)(champion) vs. Jimmy Jacobs vs. Dan Lawrence
Match in Five Words or Less: Party Like A Danimal
Match Summary/Analysis: This is the last title shot for both Jacobs and Lawrence. Jacobs sent outside right away. Lawrence works over the champion. Jacobs and Lawrence are next. Jacobs hard into the corner. Face wash by Lawrence. Malone runs interference. Dive by Lawrence onto both men. Brawl on the outside. Jacobs invites some fans to chop the champion. Into the crowd they go. Jacobs uses garbage cans for the hell of it. Jacobs and Young make their back to the ring first. More strikes for young by the fans. This match is like a love letter to Young’s title reigns. Young goes for the Nagasaki roll. Jacobs out of it. All three men back in the ring. Superplex by Jacobs. Young tries to splash both men and misses. Young strikes bothe men. Clotheslines and fists from Lawrence before being sent outside. Backbreaker/clothesline combo from Young. Lawrence hits a DVD for two. Contra code by Jacobs on Lawrence. Headscissors and a spear on Young. 1-2-NO! Senton is met with knees. End time on Lawrence. Young breaks it up for whatever reason. Jacobs applies the hold on him instead. Cannon comes in, enziguris Jacobs, and allows Silas Young to get the victory. Normally, I’m not a fan of intereference, particularly inmain event title matches, but if this leads to a feud between Cannon and Jacobs, then it makes a lot of sense. Plus, it adds to Jacobs struggle since this was his last chance. Now it’s down to Suds and Buds. DVD on the chair gets a long two count. Val Malone interjects. Lawrence kisses her. Chair shot to the head. 1-2-NO! Young goes to work on the now open wound of Dan Lawrence. Young maintains a long chinlock. Nagasaki roll but Lawrence pushes Young to the floor while being upside down. Dive to the outside. Strike exchange back in the ring. Lawrence hits a clothesline. Cradle piledriver attempt. Flip over and Lawrence ends up on top for two. Contra code. Nagasaki roll. Springboard moonsault. Lawrence reverses into a cover AND GETS THREE! NEW CHAMPION! Dan Lawrence wins the heavyweight title and ends the 16 month title reign of Young. Amazing match that just flew by despite being 21 minutes long. The babyfaces come out to celebrate with Lawrence, a really nice touch that isn’t done enough in wrestling.
Winner (s)/Time/Rating: NEW AAW Heavyweight Champion- Dan Lawrence/21:01/***3/4
-Truth Marini has a conversation with Danny Daniels, who’s picking up the trash after the show.. Daniels is apparently not the owner of AAW. This is a heart to heart as Martini takes his glasses off and gives him a pep talk. Awesome promo. Martini wasn’t screaming or being his usual bombastic self.
-Val Malone is proud of Mason Beck. Beck is ready to wrestle for the Heritage title.
-Shane Hollister vows to knock Mason Beck out and is excited to wrestle him.
-Jimmy Jacobs is crazy mad at Arik Cannon for making a statement at his expense.
-Dan Lawrence talks about being excited and thrilled to be the champion. He also pays his respect to the other two men in the match. Really nice words from the champion and he even gets the company’s catchphrase in.
Line of the Night: Phil Colvin not mentioning Chris Benoit’s name and calling him Voldemort is always good for a laugh even under the circumstances.
Finish of the Night: For the first time in the history of this award, we have a tie. The finishes to the last two matches were well executed and very appropriate.
MVP: Dan Lawrence for achieving the highest honor in AAW for seven years and Silas Young for being the best champion across the indies these last 16 months.
Verdict: Amidst a lot of tragic death in 2011, there has also been a lot of real feel good moments too. Dan Lawrence finally winning the AAW title (and especially the way he did) was really great. This was an easy watch, even on second watch, and featured a number of excellent matches that are worth checking out. That combined with the feel good main event makes this an easy thumbs up. I really wish this had been the first show at Bourbon Street because this was sooooo much better.