I procrastinated with my writing so I am cranking out a bunch today. That being said, let’s get right into this!
If this is about supporting local wrestling, I couldn’t think of a site that supports it more than this one here , so be sure to check that out.
American Wrestling Federation-
Tony DeNucci starts off by saying Ariya is running rampant all over AWF. He then starts going into something about “the riders on the storm” when the luchador from those Mexican lawyer commercials shows up. He speaks Spanish at Tony DeNucci. Tony screams “I can not understand YOOOOU!!” He says that this dude has a rematch and the segment ends with Tony clutching his chest going “holy Toledo”.
And I’m Like… WHAT?!? Somehow there will be a rematch to a match I have never seen and Ariya Daivari will get what is coming to him?
Estonian Farmer Frog and Arik Cannon vs. Ariya Daivari and Orin Veidt
Ariya is still considered champion of AWF. This is a debut of The Farmer Frog for AWF wrestling I assume. We are told by DJ Draper that we are in Stillwater, Minnesota.
Ariya is working The Frog over in the corner. Dj Draper tells us Ariya won the belt off of Danny Duggan. Frog does a gourdbuster and tries to set up some move in the corner. Ariya gets out of the way before we can find out what that move is.
The referee goes over to Arik Cannon and talks a bit.. Then after Arik tells him something, the ref goes over to Ariya and Orin, then Ariya gets in the ring as the Farmer Frog tags to Arik. What a weird sequence.
Arik vs. Ariya is what I believe the best matchup Minnesota has. Those are our top two guys. Frog tries to get claps going but to no avail. Once Cannon hits an arm drag or two, Ariya tags out to Orin who runs right into an arm drag himself.
We see a double team by Frog and Cannon. As Frog prepared to jump off the middle rope, he faked getting ready to hop. Character work!! The good guys decided to work over Orin’s arm with double team leapfrogs, among other things.
One thing Orin needs to work on is being in rest holds. He doesn’t act like he is trying to get out of the hold, more like he is waiting to be lead to the next spot. This is fantasy fighting, so let me at least see an attempt of getting out of the hold.
Frog is getting beat up after our commercial break. He is kicking out at two, but every move from Daivari and Veidt looks to be more and more devastating. The crowd noise has not changed much. Dj Draper has little to no excitement in his voice. This match doesn’t have much of a story since we joined it in progress too.
This match is making the Rock and Roll Expresses hot tag builds seem quick. Farmer Frog has been in for most of the match getting his ASS KICKED. The hot tag didn’t do much for the crowd but Arik Cannon comes in like a house of fire anyways. He does chops, running from turnbuckle to turnbuckle, hits a damn chokeslam! The crowd is sure into it now.
Frog and Cannon try to double suplex Veidt but Daivari is there to catch him. That was a smart move. Daivari throws Cannon out the ring and Veidt and Ariya try a double suplex. Problem is, Frog flipped out of it. Does a double reverse DDT! That was a fun sequence!
Frog goes for an Oklahoma Stampede but that gets reversed into a 3D. Veidt goes for a pin but Arik makes the save with less than a second left. Ariya hits Arik with a BEAUTIFUL discus punch. They try for a double team but Cannon moves out of the way and Ariya superkicks Veidt. Ariya is trying to hold Orin up but The Farmer Frog catches Orin with a second superkick. Ariya hits a superkick to Frog, turns around and Arik hits a superkick on Daivari!
Frog goes up top and hits the frogsplash on Orin. Cannon helps Frog with the pin and that is the match.
And I’m Like… To even decide to do wrestling is a commendable act. To do it for peanuts shows passion. You can’t ask a wrestling company this low on the totem pole to provide great television. Thing is, AWF is beginning to go above and beyond of what I thought they could produce. I am starting to see good matches on a weekly basis. This show is really becoming something I look forward to watching instead of treating it like a chore. I can’t wait to see the growth this show has in the next few years. With the talent pool getting deeper and the show getting better, its all onwards and upwards from here.
Apostle 13 vs. Jeff Jennings
Dj Draper says this is a street fight. Tony asks if we can get any more opposite. “One mammoth of a man against one shorter man in height” lol.
These two have been squaring off for about a minute and haven’t made contact. They start with a test of strength and country strong Jeff Jennings easily gets advantage of Apostle 13.
Apostle is able to do some lucha moves to take Jennings down with a headlock. For being so “no rules” this match is very slow paced. There is very little urgency.
We cut to later in the match and Jennings hit Apostle with a clothesline and took his straps down. Draper said “he took intensity to another level” we see Jennings win with a Bossman Slam.
And I’m Like… Apostle 13 should not have asked for that rematch… They just put that match in at the end to fill time I’m sure. It doesn’t move the needle to far into the negative or positive for me. Oh well alls well that ends well.
JJ Garrett vs. “Husky Hearthrob” Kody Rice
The announcer is doing the announcements and when he is about to introduce Kody Rice the crowd says he is Dusty Rhodes.
The ref needs to remove Garrett’s necklace cause it is too tight for JJ. JJ tries stretching to start the match. The announcers call this a fight for respect.
Kody doesn’t shake JJ’s hand and slaps him in the face. JJ sells a chop by falling on the ground and breakdancing then still walking to the corner. Kody rice gets his inner John Wayne Gacy on and chops the shit out of Garrett. JJ does an elbow drop and JJ tries to taunt to the crowd but he gets a smattering of claps. He tries another elbow drop and slams the mat to get the crowd to cheer. They don’t.
JJ tries to fly off the top rope. He misses. The crowd liked that though. Kody Rice legit kicks JJ’s ass!!
JJ tried to sunset flip Kody Rice. Kody was having none of it and hip dropped JJ into lung crushing oblivion. That only got a two count though, Kody suplexes JJ for two also. The announcers point out that Kody’s moveset focuses on taking the air away from JJ.
Kody is dominating but he can’t but JJ away. At least he was able to beat the braggadocious out of him. JJ tried to duck a clothesline, but he wasn’t supposed to. He sold it anyway… Kody did a big splash to or real hurt him, because kayfabe. JJ tried to land some moves onto Kody but Rice reverses a move and does the Butterroll for the finish. JJ kicked out.
Kody gets the crowd behind him as he thinks of what to do next. He gets enzeguried by JJ. Kody gives Garrett some time to get to the top rope, Kody reverses it. JJ is able to knock Kody Rice off the top and JJ hits a frog splash for the win.
And I’m Like… Not a fan of JJ. That match was alright, I would have said it was better if the guy I wanted to win won. Pro Wrestling Battleground gives these little 11 minute episodes, and they are just one match. That gives no time for story development but let’s the wrestlers try and tell their stories only in the ring. I like that. This one was of perceverance.
Championship Wrestling From The Twin Cities
Brick McCarthy vs. �The Professional' Benjamin Sailer
This follows last weeks storyline from the battle royal. The first two thrown out face each other.
Mick Karch welcomes us to the show and says his broadcast partner is Morris Merrill. Morris is the interim commissioner for SDW.
The match starts with a quick roll up for one as Mick talks about the future card and the number one contender match. Ben Sailer does an amazing head bridge. This seems like a ‘wrestling’ match, using amateur wrestling moves and nice catch-as-catch-can style.
Mick says the ref looks like a dehydrated Kenny Rodgers. Sailer does a pinning combination for two and immediately does a small package. The match is Brick McCarthy trying to taunt in between moves but Ben is able to get pins put on.
The announcers talk about great AWA moments and bring up June 1984 where Jerry Blackwell became a fan favorite for helping Dusty Rhodes. The match is just a reverse chin-lock at the moment.
Mick talks about how many great talents are at the show, including Eddie Sharkey. The announcers go over how great the shows of the past were. Brick hits a fameasser but gets a two count. Ben Sailer hits a top rope sunset flip for the win.
And I’m Like… Based on the commentary, I would rather watch all those historic moments. They weren’t into the match and I wasn’t into the match. The wrestling was fine, there just wasn’t an emotional connection.
‘Everyman' Josh Calisto vs. Chadwick Wentworth III
The match starts with Brick McCarthy beating up Josh Calisto. Mick doesn’t know why Brick would be coming at Josh like that. The ref is not calling for the bell, I don’t think the match even started.
The bell rang so the match officially started. Mick says “these guys are carpet bombing poor Josh Calisto” lol. Morris makes fun of Brick going to some cutlery school of management. The more I’ve worked with people from that type of school the more I understand why Morris is making fun.
Brick attacks Calisto every chance he gets. Wentworth is doing a great job distracting the referee. Mick says don’t call Chadwick “Black Stallion” because that is not him anymore. I DIDN’T KNOW THEY WERE DIFFERENT! That is good to know. I guess Chadwick is the real person behind Black Stallion. Chadwick is rich.
The crowd is chanting “Josh Calisto”. Morris points out that the crowd chants because “he is the everyman”. Wentworth has a rest hold to slow down the match. The crowd says no rest for the wicked, and chant “Josh” over and over until he is able to make his comeback. That is successful until Chadwick hits a codebreaker.
Calisto kicks out, barely. Chadwick went for a neckbreaker and Calisto reversed it into a backslide ala Arnold Skaaland when he was against Joe Turco. Wentworth hit a kick to Calisto’s face and got what I think was a two. I don’t know if the ref screwed up or Chadwick tried to raise Josh’s shoulder. There seems to be confusion… The ref told the announcers that Chadwick won. That ref was poopy. He walks over to the announcer and reverses his decision saying Calisto won because of outside interference.
And I’m Like… That match was ok, The ending was a bit muddled and I wasn’t sure what happened. Both bad guys lost the match, and I don’t know if these wins or losses matter. Stallion tries to grab Morris… which makes me wonder who is the other voice I am hearing? I thought Morris was on commentary.. Guess he wasn’t.
Rory Fox
vs.
Adrian Lynch
w/ Rain
Adrian Lynch makes fun of Rory Fox for being on MTV and in True Life. Adrian says it is a lack of respect. Adrian says he had 700 matches and is the youngest legend in St. Paul and the Midwest. Adrian Lynch is great, he says he is hip because he watches Headbangers Ball.
Lynch looked for a test of strength but before they could lock up Adrian showed off his muscles. The announcers say Rory was ranked by PWI at about 300. This footage looks a bit old, I feel bad for not knowing who Adrian Lynch is, but I am glad to see him wrestle at the moment. He is captivating and I’m not sure why.
Lynch was gonna do something but a fan got in the way of the camera and I missed either what he did or didn’t do. I don’t know who Rain is, she is interfering without getting caught so she is a good hand to have at ringside. Adrian Lynch reminds me of a poor man’s Curt Hennig. Adrian is DOMINATING this match, very little offense from Rory.
Fox was able to make a comeback and hit some bodyslams and a top rope dropkick. Fox goes up top one more time but Rain grabs his legs and he falls on his meat and two veg. Adrian had the match won until Rory gota flash pin on Lynch for a three.
And I’m Like… I wish there was more Adrian Lynch stuff. I wonder what he is up to? Steel Domain seems like the primiere wrestling promotion in Minnesota. If it isn’t know, it definitely was then.
Another few episodes down. Local wrestling being supported.
Please like and share and spread the word. These guys are doing it for passion not money, and that passion should be rewarded somehow.
Until next time, thanks a million, have a good one.
-Jake
