Larry Goodman sent this report in:
During its 11 year history, Fright Night in Cornelia has a rich tradition of great gimmick matches filled with excess violence and bloodshed. And while the 2009 version was no exception, the true magic, the match that made it memorable, was the pure wrestling skill displayed by Phil Shatter and Caprice Coleman in the NWA National Heavyweight Title match, no doubt one the best matches I?ve seen this year.
Attendance was 160 compared to 210 last year, thus continuing the trend of all the major shows of 2009 drawing less than they did in 2008. There was a question going in as to whether running on Halloween night would hurt or help the crowd. My sense is it was a minor negative. This year’s show didn?t have the Halloween-themed gimmick match Fright Night is known for. Whether that would have meant a few more tickets sold is anybody’s guess.
More troubling, was the general lack of electricity associated with big show nights in Cornelia. Too many times, good action was received with little or no response, especially during a long and lackluster first half. The show went over 3 and ? hours, and that’s just too long except for rare occasions. It’s like the genie is out of the bottle. Anarchy could benefit from more quality and less quantity.
The top three matches were going to make or break the show, and they all came through in the clutch, each match in its own unique way.
(1) J-Rod & B.J. Hancock won a Tag Team Mega Rumble when J-Rod eliminated Andrew Alexander in 27:37. As the luck of the draw (cough) would have it, partners Posey and Delay started out. They arm wrestled. They had fun with a ringside fan in a Halloween mask that was holding up a sign for them. Destiny came out as a decoy, as the ?fan? turned out to be Slim J in disguise. An awesome surprise that got a great pop. J jumped the rail and made quick work of his arch enemies, then dove over the top to eliminate himself. Jamie Lee, Stryknyn, Jay Clinton (with Mercedes Mosley), Jessco Blue and Chris King entered at one minute intervals. Stryknyn got tossed, and the babyface trio took turns teeing off on Clinton. Lee’s punches suck. Mr. Black was next. He eliminated Lee and Blue and hit a devastating chokebomb on King. Black got rid of Manchild pronto, and ADD was done for the evening. They may be over with a segment of the fanbase, but they?re not
ready for Anarchy. Matthews was next. He potatoed Black with a wicked lariat. Clinton cowered from Matthews to avoid taking the lariat for the zillionth time. Dany Only entered and shoved Matthews over the top. BJ Hancock and Andrew Alexander were next in. J-Rod entered and got rid of Only. Mike Mosley entered and tossed King. With all of four of their associates still in the match, Entourage became the odds on favorites to win. Steven Walters hit the ring like a house of fire. His superior athleticism was a breath of fresh air. Billy Buck was next. Buck eliminated Clinton with a bionic elbow. Black gave Hancock the chokebomb and Alexander tossed him out. Derrick Driver was last to enter. New Wave sent Black out with a double dropkick. Always the opportunist, Alexander snuck up behind Walters to dump him out. I didn?t see how it happened, but Buck was also history. Driver went out ugly, taking a dangerous upside down bump off the ropes. It was J-Rod
against Entourage (Alexander and Mosley), and J-Rod was taking a beating. A miscue saw Alexander accidentally put the finishing touch on Mosley. After two close calls, J-Rod finally eliminated Alexander to win. I liked the booking. Anarchy Mega Rumbles are always well booked, but with so many guys crammed into the match, there was no way around it going long, and the net effect was dilution of quality.
Talent and Money immediately attacked J-Rod. A swank move. The winners of the rumble earned a tag team title match later in the evening. Bill Behrens explained the champions had decided that later meant now.
(2) Talent & Money (JT Talent & Drew Pendleton III) beat J-Rod & BJ Hancock to retain the NWA Anarchy Tag Team Championship in 3:44. The champions exploited the challengers worn down condition. J-Rod took the heat. J-Rod shows great fire and he’s a top babyface everywhere he goes, but something about his appeal isn?t translating to Cornelia. At least not yet. Talent pinned Hancock after the Rodeo Driver.
(3) Bo Newsome beat Brodie Chase in 9:35. Chase dominated the much smaller and younger (less than half his age) Newsome with high impact offense. Bo made a nice aerial comeback, but Chase cut him off and hit a neckbreaker combo for a near fall. A rude boot to the face knocked Newsome off the apron. Chase pulled the straps down. Bo hit a slingshot sunset flip to score the slip-on-a-banana peel win. An OK match. Coming off that great match with Skirra Corvus two months ago, I thought Newsome was taking his game to another level, but it hasn?t happened.
Postmatch, Chase laid Newsome out with a Doctor Bomb. He was joined by Posey and Delay. Chase whipped Newsome with a belt until J made the save. The intensity wasn?t what it needed to be, so far as garnering huge sympathy for Bo.
(4) Skirra Corvus beat Hayden Young to retain the NWA Anarchy Young Lion’s Title in 12:04. On paper, this looked like a good program, but it never really took off, never really connected with the fans. Young was killing Corvus with all kinds of moves early, but you would have never known going off crowd reaction. Advantage Corvus, he went right for the Curbstomp. Young fought it off, so Corvus used a wheelbarrow facebuster for first of a slew of near falls. A wheelbarrow suplex by Young left both men in a bad way. Young hit a shoulder level Pounce, but Corvus got a foot on the ropes. Young crashed and burned on the Flying Squirrel and Corvus crushed him with the Curbstomp. Nice moves, but too long and way too choreographed.
(5) Mikal Judas pinned Kimo (with Jeff G. Bailey) in a servant match at 21:39. NWA Anarchy owner Jerry Palmer gets Kimo’s services for 35 days. Lots of brawling outside the ring with Judas dismantling Kimo like never before. Really made him suffer. Great facial expessions from Kimo here. Kimo used Sole Food to take over. Part of the storyline is Kimo stealing moves, but I doubt he’s been watching Chuck Taylor tapes. Kimo used a variety of martial arts stuff with a swinging neckbreaker thrown in. Crowd chanted Mikal’s name. It was the first babyface chant all night, and that’s just weird for Anarchy. The had been quiet early, but this match had feeling, and the building was starting to cook. Judas made a monster comeback, hitting a back suplex and top rope lariat, each time, Kimo kicked out at one. Judas goozled Kimo for the chokeslam. Bailey jumped up to distract referee Wes Grissom. While Bailey was tussling with Grissom, Shatter ran in and
speared Judas. It took Kimo forever to cover, and Judas kicked out. A suplex into the turnbuckles earned a two count for Judas. Kimo answered with an STO for a near fall. Kimo tried for Judas? El Crucifijo (Crucifix Powerbomb) finisher. Judas reversed it and border tossed Kimo halfway across the ring. Sheer devastation. Grissom made the count and signaled for the bell. Judas was announced as the winner. Match over. At least it should have been. There was no way to top that spot. What more is there? Plus, it had the poetic justice of Kimo’s thievery of moves backfiring. But that wasn?t the plan. Grissom screwed up. Kimo got a shoulder up a split second before the three. Bailey went nuts and Grissom restarted the match. The match went on for several more minutes. Kimo used the Information Extactor and Judas made the ropes. Judas got the pin with a pumphandle sidewalk slam. They did a good job of getting the crowd back, but there was no way to get
them back to where they were.
NWA Anarchy owner Jerry Palmer appeared on the ramp with the ax handle to block Bailey’s retreat. He told Bailey he was either leaving bloody or without Kimo’s mask. The crowd wanted Bailey’s blood. Bailey opted to cough up the mask, giving Palmer control of Kimo. ?You belong to me, big boy.?
Intermission. The annual costume contest was won by an Edward Scissorshand character for the adults and a June bug for kids division.
(6) Shaun Tempers beat Ace Rockwell in a Last Man Standing Match (23:02). These guys like working each other stiff, and they basically beat the hell out of each other. Rockwell was all over Tempers with the crowd chanting ?Ace! Ace! Ace!? Tempers tagged Rockwell with a big right hand and unleashed the clubbing blows he’s so fond of. After a little ground and pound exchange, Rockwell brought an extension cord into play, but it ended up around Rockwell’s neck. Tempers hit a Temperpedic with the cord wrapped around Rockwell’s neck. Rockwell was up at eight. Rockwell busted out the airplane spin. Tempers was up at five the first time. He used it again, and they both stayed down for a nine count. One of the highlights was Tempers taping Rockwell’s arm to the ropes and beating his face in ? a role reversal of the finish of the War Games at Hostile Environment. It looked sick. More chants for Ace and he was up at seven. Tempers gave
Rockwell a Tiger Driver on the ramp, but Rockwell struggled to his feet at eight. In the midst of all the mayhem, they managed to stack up a dozen chairs inside the ring. Rockwell bridged a table from the ring apron to the rail. He was ready to put Tempers through the table with a dive off the top, but Tempers got away. There were close calls where each guy barely escaped taking the other guy’s finisher into the chair salad. At this point, the Reverend appeared at ringside in a wheelchair piloted by Corvus. The insane spot was a superplex into the chairs that was total devastation. Neither man was up at 10. The ruling was first man up would win. Rockwell was almost up, when Azrael (wearing a Halloween mask) slithered up to the ring on his belly and took Rockwell’s leg out. Great finish. Brutal match.
(7) Phil Shatter (with Jeff G. Bailey) defeated Caprice Coleman to retain the NWA National Heavyweight Title in 15:30. Match of night. Nothing else was close – the physiques, the in ring storytelling, the technical execution, all major league in every respect. They did a feeling out process leading a clean break, and it was a beautiful thing to see. The action moved outside. Coleman popped the crowd with his baseball slide around the ringpost. Coleman went to the air with a slingshot leg senton, a jumping leg drop and a springboard crossbody. Coleman’s does his flying moves with an unusual degree of precision. He’s added size while losing none of his explosive leaping ability. Shatter wanted it on the ground, and he got it there after a sidewalk slam and a fisherman suplex. Shatter used a cobra camel clutch submission. Shatter hit a back suplex for a near fall. Coleman countered another suplex attempt with an inside cradle. When Shatter kicked
out, Coleman immediately caught him with a shining wizard. Shatter played possum and caught Coleman with a lariat. Coleman came right back with a huracanrana and it was both men down. Coleman used a combo of moves to set up the spin scissors kick for a near fall. Shatter planted Coleman with a spinebuster for a near fall. A series of reversals started with Shatter blocking a top rope huracanrana and ended with breathtaking near fall for Coleman. Coleman blocked the PTSD and hit That’s Life. Ref distraction by Bailey. Visual fall for Coleman. Coleman went for a springboard move, and Shatter caught him midair with a perfectly timed spear for the pin. Live by the sword. Die by the sword. Just a terrific match. My favorite Anarchy match of 2009.
(8) Shadow Jackson beat Jeremy Vain in a dog collar match in 18:41 to win the NWA Anarchy Heavyweight Championship for the second time. Before the match, Palmer threatened to sick Kimo on Orion Bishop if he refused to leave ringside. Vain stalled and tried to keep his distance from Jackson at all costs. Jackson crotched Vain with the chain and gave him a Biel throw by the dog collar. The action spilled outside the ring, and Jackson came up bleeding heavily. Vain tried to hang Jackson with the chain. Vain whipped Jackson with chain and dug it into his eyeballs. Vain wrapped the chain around his fist and delivered six straight shots to Jackson’s eye (a nod to a previous blinding incident). Jackson’s face and white t-shirt were covered in blood. A ?Shadowmania? chant erupted. Vain hit the VKO, but Jackson blocked his DDT finisher. After a shot into the ringsteps, Vain was also bleeding, and it was turning into a bloodbath. Jackson hit the
stunner. Bishop came back out. The fans chanted for Kimo. Bishop got on the apron, grabbed Jackson and held him for Vain. Time stood still. Vain finally charged. Jackson ducked. Bishop took a bump to the floor. Jackson kicked out of Vain’s DDT. Jackson started no selling Vain’s blows. 1031. 1-2-3.
Vain and Bishop attacked Jackson. Judas made the save. Palmer made a tag match for next week’s main event.
NOTES: NWA Anarchy returns in one week with a special tribute to the recently retired Iceberg, along with the already announced matches: Judas & Jackson vs. Bishop & Vain and Delay & Posey vs. J & Newsome?Ace Rockwell is booked for Ultimate NWA on November 7.
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