Since this is the first in a series, a brief introduction. Instead of clustering all the awards under one column, I’m going to be discussing a number of the top promotions over the next few weeks. I will give some company awards out to highlight perf
ormances. I’ll talk about what each company did well and what they need to work in 2013. Finally, I’ll put it all on the line with some bold predictions next year. This week I’ll be discussing AAW and Ring of Honor. Next week will be Chikara and the WWN Universe promotions. Two weeks from now will be PWG and AIW pending the release of their December shows. First up, my home promotion
When it comes to AAW, 2012 was undoubtedly their best year ever from an artistic and business standoint. Despite hiccups with folks like Jerry Lawler and Ken Shamrock, AAW managed to use certain contracted wrestlers better than the companies they’re under contract to. Their main event scene was the strongest it’s ever been with Silas Young and Michael Elgin as the anchors. These two delivered an incredible trilogy of matches, including a one hour draw and a near 45 minute, epic “I Quit” match. Davey Richards, BJ Whitmer, Kyle O’Reilly, and Sami Callihan all took their turn wrestling in main event level matches and delivering each and every time.
Even with all the greatmess contained on shows, there are still issues for AAW to deal with going into next year. A focus needs to be placed on both the Heritage title and tag team titles once again. Considering the 16 man Heritage title tournament going on the first three months of the year, this can be rectified quite easily. Arik Cannon and Jimmy Jacobs did a great deal of damage to the tag team division through their match quality and bad behavior. Given Irish Airborne not always being available because of their CZW commitments and Zero Gravity’s time away, AAW must focus on finding some additional teams to bolster the division. Putting two midcard wrestlers together won’t cut it. An active pursuit of the Midwest will find a number of teams who are ready for the opportunity to wrestle in AAW.
AAW has a great deal of momentum going into 2013. I have very high expectations that the issues with their secondary championships can be resolved and the heavyweight title division will still see the best matches on the card. The one concern is obviously that some of the main eventers could be in WWE developmental by the time at any point during the next few months.
Let’s get to the awards.
MVP: Michael Elgin and Silas Young (tie)
I hate copping out like this, but it’s borderline impossible to separate these two simply based on their trilogy. To go an hour in April and then top themselves in September was an incredibly underrated aspect of this year in wrestling. Elgin had a great match with Kyle O’Reilly back at Bound for Hate for the Heritage title. He also delivered in main events against Davey Richards, Sami Callihan (twice), and Shane Hollister as the heavyweight champion. Silas Young defended his title for much of the year against guys like BJ Whitmer and even in a ladder match against Jimmy Jacobs and Arik Cannon. Even after he lost the title, he had a borderline four star match with Davey Richards at War is Coming and participated in a fun four way at the Windy City Classic. Without both of these men, AAW is a very different company and probably nowhere near as artistically successful.
Tag Team of the Year: Irish Airborne
Tough to really think of any other team coming close. Although Cannon and Jacobs held the titles for most of the year, they honestly didn’t do anything to distinguish themselves. Airborne is as solid as they come. They have great matches no matter where they are on the card. Regardless of their attitude sometimes, they perform to and above expectations whenever they’re in an AAW ring. They end 2012 as the tag team champions but with very few real challengers. Their ability to carry the division for the first half of 2013 and build up another team will be huge for AAW next year.
Breakout Star of the Year: Junthai Miller
The inclination might be to say ACH here, but he hasn’t exactly had a lot of success and was only a factor in the second half of the year. Mr. Miller has had an interesting ride. He’s been acknowledged as a very talented wrestler but cannot seem to pick up wins in AAW rings. I firmly believe the booking must allow Miller to break out even more in 2013. The only ways to assess his skill set and get him over is through victories in the undercard, longer matches in the midcard, and a storyline or two thrown his way. The storyline portion of this formula is key. He can be a great wrestler who double stomps people straight to hell. However, I need a reason to care about him as a person. I need to hear his story. There’s no reason Miller can’t be a future singles champion. He just needs more time to develop.
Best Promo: Silas Young
A really easy decision here. Silas Young might be a great wrestler, but he’s an even better promo in AAW. The one he cut at Scars and Stripes was an all-time classic as he ran everyone down. If it was posted on YouTube, I would absolutely link it here since it exemplifies what makes him such a great talker. I wanted to highlight the best promo guys in these companies to illustrate how important it is for the wrestlers to actually talk. Young is truly hated by AAW fans, and it’s because of his promos this is the case. His outward disdain for them and talking about being the last real man in pro wrestling show why he deserves far greater status in indy wrestling.
Honorable Mention: MsChif
I have a great deal of admiration for MsChif that doesn’t always get stated in the DVD reviews. Her feud with Danny Daniels was not good, but it had almost nothing to do with her. She has played her role to perfection and has turned in consistently solid performances this year regardless of who she’s been in the ring with and has been a real trooper. Her victory against Daniels in the “Fans Bring the Weapons” match was a fine reward. I expect her to play a much larger role next year.
Wrestler to Watch in 2013: ACH
Much of this depends on his availability and contractual status with either DG USA or Ring of Honor. Given that he lives in the St. Louis area, I fully expect ACH to be a top talent with a possible Heritage title run. Seriously, this guy needs to be the focus of any indy he can regularly be booked in. Not only can he deliver in the ring, but he has infectious energy and an innate ability to connect with crowds of all shapes and sizes. Maybe I am intensely biased for him, but he’s absolutely one of my favorite wrestlers to watch. I expect even more in 2013. Maybe a deep run in the Heritage title tournament? A possible championship match with Michael Elgin? All I ask is for the same opportunities Michael Elgin received at the end of 2011 and the beginning of 2012.
Match of the Year: AAW Heavyweight Championship: Silas Young (Champion) vs. Michael Elgin (AAW Heritage Champion) (Point of No Return 2012, April 21, 2012)
I almost copped out again and put the title change. However, this second match of the trilogy was a mat classic in every sense of the word. Just an incredible back and forth affair. The third match was borderline insanity, and the violence volume was turned up. Here was more of a wrestling and two rising stars trying to prove themselves. Coming off the heels of a five star match with Davey Richards, Elgin kept up his hot streak. Silas Young is constantly proving himself, and the one thing he has never done is wrestle in a one hour draw. That all changed at Point of No Return.
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
Show of the Year: Bound by Hate (June 22, 2012)
It was honestly very close between this show and Defining Moment. Where I think Bound by Hate succeeds is that the whole card delivers, and the energy of the crowd was there in more ways. I liked the variety in the undercard with Cabana having a fun match against Mason Beck and the women’s match involving MsChif and Angelus Layne. The Richards/Callihan affair bordered on self-parody, but it was still a great spectacle. I mentioned the Elgin/O’Reilly Heritage title match, but even the main event was really excellent (and quite underrated). Very entertaining brawl between Irish Airbone, Silas Young, Jimmy Jacobs, BJ Whitmer, and Arik Cannon. Probably my strongest recommendation for an AAW show ever.
To check out the full recap, click here.
Three Positives of AAW in 2012:
- The main events on nearly every show clearly delivered and sent fans home happy regardless of the result.
- AAW was able to use DG USA and Ring of Honor stars better and were able to deliver some independent dream matches because of that. This was a strategy employed by other promotions such as PWG and AIW. The difference is AAW incorporated storylines and made the matches seem more impactful.
- Thanks to Smart Mark Video, both the ability to distribute their content through mp4s and on-demand and their overall production quality significantly improved.
Three Negatives of AAW in 2012:
- The undercard and tag team division lacked focus and storylines, leading to crowds having trouble fully investing in shows.
- Show pacing was an issue as many creeped into the 3.5-4 hour range. AAW must make some tough talent decisions to get the shows down to eight matches and under three hours.
- The Bourbon Street curse reeked its head many times. Certain legends were unable to make it to shows. The atmosphere wasn’t right for many of the matches. I’m glad AAW is making its way to other new venues because shifting away from this venue, awesome as it may appear on the DVD, is key.
Three Bold Predictions for AAW in 2013:
- MsChif will win the Heritage championship in the summer of fall of 2013. I can honestly say I have no idea what AAW is planning, so these are all shots in the dark. Given that Veda Scott has won the AIW tag team titles and Rachel Summerlyn has won the ACW heavyweight title, I hope this encourages other feds to give women titles that would traditionally be given to men. Having an AAW women’s title is pointless given the relationship with Shimmer, but MsChif as Heritage champion would further cement her own status and would not be unprecedented given how many men she’s already defeated and competed against.
- Shane Hollister will NOT win the heavyweight title. It’s almost a given that he’s going to be one of the top players for AAW next year, but there’s something about his character and the individuals escorting him to the ring that scream midcard instead of main eventer. Hollister has the make-up and attitude. He needs to have a big main event performance, similar to the ones Silas Young had against Bryan Danielson at Defining Moment 2009, to show he truly deserves to be heavyweight champion. Going to be tough. This is definitely one I want to be proven wrong given the respect I have for Hollister’s abilities.
- A tag team who didn’t even compete in AAW will hold the belts at the end of 2013. Jacobs and Cannon are done. Zero Gravity have already held the belts and don’t have the confidence of management. I have to believe new teams are going to be brought in. At the very least Tweek Phoenix and Lamar Titan will form a team and challenge for the belts. I really want to see Team Overkill, The Kentucky Buffet, and/or Minor Threat have a big-time presence in the promotion next year. Bringing in the Super Smash Brothers, the Brisoces or Young Bucks is unrealistic. Build the division organically with some fresh teams, and AAW will be better off for it.
For more information on AAW and their upcoming shows, check out AAW’s Website. To buy AAW DVDs, check out Smart Mark Video. Below is a list of contact information for both the website and me.
In addition to wrestling podcasts, I am also a proud co-host of a show specifically geared toward Mad Men. Please check out all of our previous podcasts here. You can also download them off of iTunes.
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