-Taped from Berwyn, Illinois
Commentators: Phil Colvin and Derek St. Holmes
Going into One Twisted Christmas, there were a number of important questions which needed to be answered. How would AAW continue the feud between Silas Young and Eddie Kingston? Would the company have Steen win the title one month only to have him lose the next to give Hollister somewhat of a rub? With Josh Alexander out because of injury and his future in question anyway because of a move to Calgary, how would AAW approach their tag team division at the end of what was a rebound year for it? All of these questions were answered with positive results.
First the AAW championship. Shane Hollister regained the title in relatively clean fashion after Suge’s Last Step into a chair. I’d say this was slightly better than the first match although I think it could still be improved. Parts of the match felt rushed and underdeveloped. I look at this match and compare it with something like Jimmy Jacobs versus Davey Richards and feel like there was more drama combined with the wrestlers allowing the match breathe moreso in that match. Holister and Steen still had a very good match worth checking out as they incorporated Marcus Crane and Scarlett well. Hollister winning clean also gave me some hope that his second title reign can gather more momentum than his first.
When it comes to Silas Young and Eddie Kingston, they wrestled a short, energetic bout which came across much better on DVD with a full presentation than in the moment. I think the announcers layered the match well and teased the post-match exceedingly well by questioning Val Malone’s presence at ringside. Having a quick match where Young won on a roll-up was a solid way to give the babyface a win without overtly ending the feud. It was a good brawl and felt more intense than the original bout. Afterward, Kingston ended Malone’s career in wrestling with a northern lights suplex into a chair. This will surely lead to a blow-off match in the future, but having Kingston again assault Young’s wife positions him well as the most hated man in AAW and also led to one of the creepier promos you’ll ever see to end the DVD. Good match. Better angle.
There were a number of choices AAW could have gone with in regards to the tag team division. Choice A was keeping the Kung Fu Manchu train going. Choice B was giving Zero Gravity a well-earned second title reign. After the year they’ve had and the quality of matches, I could make a solid argument, they deserve to be put in this position. AAW went with choice C. With no Josh Alexander or Ricochet, Ethan Page chose Michael Elgin within storyline to go after the titles. Given their history of travelling together and Elgin’s pedigree, it makes total sense for Page to select Elgin. It was also refreshing to see a singles star still want to compete and hold the tag team titles. It makes the belts feel more significant even if he had lost the match. Oddly enough, AAW decided to go with the Odd Couple tag team. In what was the second best match of the night, ZG, KFM, and the newly tabbed Men of the Year had a great match with quality action. Cut two minutes and two false finishes, and I’m willing to consider this a darkhorse match of the year contender. Even so, this was a strong way to end the year. The dynamic between Page and Elgin was interesting and allows both men to expand their characters. Page kept trying to cheat and use underhanded tactics, but because Elgin is a man of honor who has such clout given his two singles title reigns, he can dictate to his partner how they wrestle. ZG’s performance deserves to be mentioned, and I honestly hope they’re the ones to eventually take the belts from Men of the Year since their 2013 was outstanding.
I know some have compared Elgin and Page’s team to Arik Cannon and Jimmy Jacobs. Number 1: Page and Elgin aren’t feuding. Number 2: The match quality will most assuredly be better. Number 3: Elgin will get to show a lighter side, still be able to have great matches, and be given something to do without necessarily having to chase a singles title. Number 4: Ethan Page will get more promo time and become a star through this tag team when he either turns on Elgin or tries to cheat and costs his team the victory. Number 5: When the team breaks up, Elgin and Page can have a feud. Elgin can put Page over and BOOM… you’ve got a heel main eventer.
Elgin had a busy night as he actually wrestled twice. Who knew that wrestling a nine minute opener with Keith Walker without a jacked finish would be better than a 20 minute match with a two count posing as a three count? Well, I kind of did. Walker dismantled a couple of jobbers and called Elgin out. They had an entertaining nine minute contest. It was faster paced which equaled a better piece. The execution was better, and who doesn’t love two hosses tossing each other around the ring? This was an excellent way to open the show.
It should say a lot about the quality and significance of the matches on this show that I’m not talking about the best actual wrestling contest until fifth. Jimmy Jacobs and Davey Richards have had surprisingly few interactions despite all the Ring of Honor shows they’ve been on together. I know they’ve been across the ring from each other during various tags but to my knowledge they haven’t wrestled in a singles match. There was a slow build in this match that eventually led to some heat on Jacobs before a big babyface comeback. Richards went slightly heel and worked a slower pace. Despite the million other companies both guys wrestle for, I believe these men have done their best work in AAW. Why every company wants Jacobs to lead their heel group is perplexing given his babyface comeback and ability to make fans get into what he’s doing. Seriously, I would put his babyface on the same line as anyone in WWE. The crowd, which was split at first, seemed to lean increasingly toward Jacobs. Gotta give credit to both men for this. Not necessarily a major feud or story but this was a pleasure to watch.
The rest of the show was not nearly as consequential. I have to give credit to Mallaki Matthews for getting himself into better shape and seemingly improving his in-ring work. Should he be main eventing AAW shows in 2014? Likely not. But to be on these shows and working (plus living) with Matt Cage will pay off. Cage defended his title against Matthews since neither Junthai Miller (family funeral) and ACH (not booked) were around. It was fine and AAW didn’t need a huge Heritage title match on this show. If nothing else, the fact that Cage made his AAW debut in August and is now holding their secondary title says a lot about his future.
The Fans Bring the Weapons Match is a Christmas tradition for AAW. I’m honestly happy Knight Wagner and Heather Patera got to end their feuds more than anything else as Wagner finally pinned Rican after hitting his finisher in a pile of thumbtacks. I don’t even care that Truth Martini interfered. Just grateful the feud is over. I want Wagner to move on and do other things. There were two other matches that happened as well. Colt Cabana versus Tweek Phoenix. Arik Cannon and Ryan Boz versus Dan Lawrence and Marcus Crane. These matches were in focus and in color. They existed. About all that deserves to be said.
Windy City Classic is typically AAW’s biggest show of the year, yet this show felt more significant and also had some better matches. I very much enjoyed this show even with some filler matches. You almost have to accept some filler in order to get some quality angles and storylines.
Grade: B+
Funny Promo Notes:
Matt Cage’s promo work continues to be impressive. AAW having the big screen and tossing up the promos for everyone to see makes a huge difference for guys like Cage among others. Also, any heel who wears sunglasses has my respect.
Ethan Page convincing Elgin to be his partner might be the promo of the year (HA!). Their post-show one was also funny too.
Tension was teased with We Are Here. Kevin Harvey have a great speech in the post-match promo. This was after calling out a fan for his homophobic comments during the show. I wish more wrestlers would call out fans for their idiotic hate speech. Just because a man wears pink doesn’t means they’re gay.
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– Michael Elgin defeats Keith Walker by pinfall after a powerbomb/9:49/***1/2
-Matt Cage defeats Mallaki Matthews by pinfall after a codebreaker/4:07/*1/2
-Fans Bring the Weapons: Knight Wagner and Heather Patera (w/Truth Martini) defeats Tony Rican and Heidi Lovelace/12:44/**
-Colt Cabana defeats Tweek Phoenix by submission after the Billy Goat’s Curse/9:34/**
-Jimmy Jacobs defeats Davey Richards by submission to End Time/19:56/****
-Marcus Crane has a present for Dan Lawrence after Shane Hollister had a crappy Christmas and birthday.
-Ryan Boz and Arik Cannon defeat The Dan Lawrence Project and The Marcus Crane Experience by pinfall. Boz pins Crane after the Boz Driver./7:52/*1/2
-Silas Young (w/Val Malone) defeats Eddie Kingston/8:42/***1/4
-AAW Tag Team Championship: Men of the Year (Michael Elgin and Ethan Page) become the AAW Tag Team Champions by defeating Kung Fu Manchu (Marion Fontaine and Louis Lyndon) and Zero Gravity in a three way eliminator. Elgin first eliminates Fontaine after a spinning powerbomb. Page pins Gakiya after the Spinning Dwayne/24:05/****
-AAW Heavyweight Championship: Shane Hollister wins the AAW heavyweight championship for the second time by pinfall after Shug’s Last Gift/17:02/***1/2
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