Larry Goodman sent this report in:
NWA Anarchy returned to the NWA Arena in Cornelia Saturday night for their first television taping since Hardcore Hell.
It was a solid follow up show. No bad matches. Storylines were advanced in a satisfying way, shockingly so in the case of the heavyweight title. There was no need to start a lot of new directions because the main stories are fresh, providing the imaginative minds at the helm plenty to work with.
Attendance was 120. Decent heat for a crowd of that size. They picked their spots, and that’s becoming the norm. The fan base has evolved.
(1) Skirra Corvus (with The Reverend) defeated Chris King and Kyle Matthews in a triple threat match by pinning King at 5:55. But thing the key thing about this match was the performance by Corvus. He’s been part of Rejects for a while now, and merrily curbstomping heads in his wake, but this was his inring debut. Talk about a perfect fit for the Rejects. The sack over the head and weird ghoulish face paint work visually. But it’s the stringbean of a body and an amazing flexibility that allows him to do stuff nobody else is doing that sets him apart. Taco Delgado was back as red carpet roller outer. Turns out it was a busy night for him, but we all know Mexicans don’t shy away from manual labor. It opened with heels doubling up on King. Then King got to shine with some nicely executed one-on-two spots. The spot in this match had a nice rhythm to them. Corvus did a kneeling Matrix move that was off the hook. As Matthews and Corvus fought over who would make the pin, King nailed them with a double bulldog. Corvus busted a kneeling/standing variation of cattle mutilation on King. Matthews broke it up with a top rope double stomp on Corvus. Matthews tried for a slingshot suplex and got dumped by King. Corvus blocked King’s rocker dropper and curbstomped him for the three count. It didn?t have great heat, but this was one fine opener.
Todd Sexton hit the ring with a running knee on King. The fans got on him about tapping out to Slim J at Hardcore Hell. Sexton said it was disprect for the Young Lions to be booked, while he was left off the card. ?The excellence of Sexecution? (yes, he actually said that) challenged any of the Young Lions to a match.
(2) Technicians (Bobby Moore & Tyler Smith) beat Rowdy Friends (Jessco Blue & Billy Buck) via DQ in 6:43. Blue is over as this crude, zany backwoods guy. It’s best not to ponder what that says about the Cornelians. Moore interfered to distract Buck, and Smith knocked him through the ropes to start the heat. Technicians cut the ring in half and worked over Buck’s back. Buck made a diving tag to Blue. House cleaning ensued. Blue broke up a Technicians double team with duel low blows for the DQ.
Postmatch: Don Matthews lectured Blue about acting more civilized.
Official Express (Mike Posey & Wes Adams) cut an excellent debut promo to position themselves as the heel challengers for the tag team titles. Posey referred to Adams as ?the Nostradamus of referees? or some such. Adams informed the fans that they were looking at a piece of history. They made a big deal out of being the NWA Alabama Tag Team Champions and did their catch phrase ? ?The Official Express: get on it or get run over by it.?
(3) Iceberg pinned Orion Bishop in 7:49. Doing a rematch from Hardcore Hell was not the original plan here. Adjustments, however, had to be made. This was similar to that match ? a test of wills between two behemoths. A powerslam shook Bishop up. Advantage Iceberg. Bishop answered with a knockdown lariat. Bishop hit DDT and went to work on Iceberg’s knee. The Reverend was spouting disparaging remarks about Iceberg’s performance. Bishop ran his face into the turnbuckle on a mad rhino charge, and Iceberg pounced with the Ground Zero.
Postmatch: Iceberg helped Bishop up. The Reverend went ballistic and stormed to the back. Iceberg and Bishop exchanged nods of respect, and fans were popping for Berg.
On the Wrestlevision, we saw a backstage interview with Truitt Fields conducted by Greg Hunter. Fields brought up his history with Phil Shatter (currently in Bolivia see notes below), and the bond they formed when both were Marines in Iraq. He said they came to Anarchy to be the best tag team ever. Things didn?t work out that way, but they agreed to stay out of each other’s hair. Fields said Shatter broke their pact at Hardcore Hell by costing him the TV Title. Ace Rockwell entered. He said they had a problem in common – they had both been betrayed by Shaun Tempers. NWA Anarchy owner Jerry Palmer joined them. He referenced the unholy alliance between Tempers and Shatter and gave Fields a rematch against Tempers. Rockwell told Palmer that Hardcore Hell proved that barring people from ringside doesn?t work too well. Rockwell asked Palmer to grant him a manager’s license for the evening, so he could protect Fields. Palmer said OK. Well done.
(4) Slim J & Bo Newsome beat Seth Delay & Brodie Chase when J submitted Delay at 8:02. Chase has gotten in phenomenal shape for his age. Hell, for any age. You don?t see guys walking around with deltoids like that. The babyfaces worked on Delay’s arm early. The highlight was an up and over into a deep arm drag by Newsome. Chase clotheslined Newsome from the apron. The heat was a showcase for Chase to beat on the kid. He powerbombed the bejeezus out of Newsome punched the ?pretty boy? in the face. When Newsome kicked out of a double team neckbreaker, the crowd got behind him huge. J cleaned house with the hot tag, until Delay didn?t know which end was up. Fishermanbustah! Chase made the save. Chase went for another powerbomb, but J headscissored him over the top. J locked Delay in the Roach Clip. He fought it hard before tapping.
Postmatch: Mr. ?Hands of Steel? Delay put J’s lights out with the brass knucks. J was down and out for a while, but he got a pop when he rose and made it to the back under his own power.
NWA Anarchy Heavyweight Champion Shadow Jackson was introduced by Greg Hunter. The place went nuts. ?The People’s Champion? addressed his flock. Jackson was channeling Dusty here. Jackson said it was time for his wrestling family to meet his family. ?It was your love and prayers that brought him into our lives. So I thought I needed to bring him into yours.? Jackson’s wife carried their five month old son into the ring. It was touch and go right after he was born. The kid has a bit of a Mohawk going.
The feel good moment of 2009 was disrupted by the appearance of Jeremy Vain on the ramp. Jackson’s wife scurried to the back with the baby. Vain patted the baby on the head as they passed by. Jackson’s eyes were on fire. If looks could kill, Vain would have dropped dead on the spot. Vain told Shadow to calm down. Vain said he wasn?t making any excuses for being pinned. ?Shadowmania was running wild at Hardcore Hell, and I felt it first hand.? Vain said he had just one nagging question. ?Is that really your kid or what?? Jackson decked Vain with one punch and jackhammered his head. Rob Adonis hit the ring. Jackson decked him, too. Adonis clipped Jackson’s knee. Vain put Jackson in the figure four and grabbed the ropes, while Adonis pulled on Jackson’s arms. Rockwell and Fields finally ran out for the save. Vain had this disgustingly wicked gleam in his eye as security backed him up the ramp. Cold, dark, edgy and at the same time so old school. Vain has sunk to depths of evil of which I had no earthly clue.
(5) Malachi beat Azrael (with the Reverend) to retain the Young Lion’s Division Championship in 4:25. Malachi tried to trade strikes with Azrael. He must be a severe glutton for punishment. Malachi hit a bridging german suplex to spark a high impact comeback. It looked like Azrael was going for a Ted Bundy off the ropes. That would have been completely insane, not that I would put it past Azrael to try it. Like at Hardcore Hell, Azrael took the bump and got pinned with the frog splash. Good match but Azrael shouldn?t be losing clean to anybody in under 5 minutes, and definitely not in the same manner he lost two week ago. I pictured it as a real test for Malachi, like 8 minutes worth with Azrael avoiding the frogsplash like the plague.
(6) Jeff Lewis & Andrew Alexander (with Jay Clinton) beat Chrisjen Hayme & El Veterano IV in 7:23. Hayme & IV went lucha style on Alexander. Hayme used a Gedo Clutch for a near fall. Hayme went to the top and fought off interference by both Lewis and Clinton. Taco ran out for further distraction, and Alexander caught Hayme with a hotshot. As per usual, Lewis feasted on an incapacitated foe. Hayme escaped from a double vertical suplex to make the tag. IV started flying around. His stuff didn?t look bad at all. IV tagged Hayme and hit a double jump dive to the outside. Lewis then pinned Hayme with a lightning fast spinning neckbreaker.
(7) Mikal Judas pinned Mike Mosley in 2:45 with El Crucifijo. No loss of fan love for Judas. Mosley hit him with his book before the bell. Judas made a quick comeback and goozled him. Mosley escaped, then dodged a corner clothesline and took Judas off his feet with a lariat for a two count. That should not have happened. No near falls for this guy. Judas busted Mosley’s lip with the corner clothesline and tossed him half way across the ring with his finisher.
Judas had a message – ?To be or not to be. Kimo is not meant to be.?
(8) New Wave (Steven Walters & Derrick Driver) beat Official Express (Mike Posey & Wes Adams) to retain the NWA Anarchy Tag Team Titles in 11:20. Official Express were billing as being from Stamford, Ct. They used the Midnight Express entrance music. Posey said they would soon be double champions. New Wave opened up a can of combo moves on Posey. A Posey knee to the back of Walter set up a decapitation lariat by Adams. Express worked on the neck of Walters. Express hit a slingshot leg drop/side slam combo. The work was fine. Very little heat because nobody was buying Express as a legit threat. After the hot tag, Posey caused New Wave to collide and got a near fall on Driver. Express set up for a double team finisher. Walters knocked Posey off his perch to foil it and Driver pinned him after the Unskinny Bop. Eight minutes would have been plenty for this. Adams said they were still the NWA Alabama champs.
(9) Shaun Tempers (with The Reverend) pinned Truitt Fields (with Ace Rockwell) to retain the NWA Anarchy Television Championship in 6:07. The pop for Fields and Rockwell was a virtual tie with Slim J’s for second behind Jackson. Fields is less cut but more bulked up than he’s ever been. Fields was pissed. Before the match could get underway, he blasted Tempers off the apron and gave him a wicked beating all around the ring. Tempers was stumbling around in a daze. Back inside, Fields busted out the Polish hammers. Tempers barely escaped from the Killing Fields. When Fields went for a top rope huracanrana, the Reverend managed to hook Tempers? foot in the ropes and Fields crashed to the mat. Rockwell was not happy about being bested by the Reverend. Fields hulked up. Tempers dumped Fields. The Reverend was ready to crown Fields with the Staff of Righteousness, but Rockwell intervened. The Reverend scooted away on his butt begging for mercy. Tempers softened up Fields? neck. The crowd got as hot as it had been all evening. Fields made the comeback and hit a bridging Northern lights suplex for a near fall. The Rejects ran out to attack Rockwell. He picked up the staff and took a stance like he was in the batter’s box at Wrigley Field. The Rejects backed off. But Kimo (with Jeff G. Bailey) nailed Rockwell from behind. While this was going on, Tempers pinned Fields with the hangman neckbreaker.
Postmatch: The Reverend showed his warped approval of Bailey and Kimo’s assistance. My mind sickens at the prospect of this unholy alliance of formerly bitter enemies.
NOTES: Anarchy has added a rare fifth Saturday show on May 30?Shatter was booked on a tour of Bolivia through David Marquez of NWA Showcase?J.T. Talent is out of action due to a back injury suffered in that brutal match at Hardcore Hell. He plans to be back in action at the next TV taping?Official Express defeated Hayme & former NWA Wildside star Adam Jacobs to win the NWA Alabama Tag Team Championship on April 11 in Scotsboro, Alabama.