Views from the Hawke’s Nest: AAW Bound by Hate 2012

Berwyn, Il
June 22, 2012

Commentators: Phil Colvin & Derek St. Holmes

We get some footage of Tweek Phoenix beating down Joey Eastman at a previous show. We then saw Phoenix cut a backstage promo about feeling betrayed by Eastman and that now it’s his time.

The Irish Airborne cut a promo. They say their AAW boycott is over because they always have Silas Young’s back. Silas Young says they are real men, unlike their opponents in tonight’s main event.

Austin Mannix vs. Mr. Miller
Both of these men are in the CLASH stable.

Miller hit a kneeling superkick stomp (yes) early, which was cool. Miller got a nearfall with a spinning heel kick. Mannix cut him off and hit a pair of neckbreakers for a nearfall. Mannix worked him over for a bit. Miller came back with a pair of buzzsaw kicks, which got him a nearfall. Mannix came back with an Ace Crusher out of a Fireman’s Carry: 1…2…NO! Miller hit a Brogue Kick and a Yakuza Kick variation: 1…2…3. The crowd chanted “Miller Time!” after the match.

Basic opener. They kept it simple and didn’t try to do too much. Mr. Miller has impressed me on a number of occasions recently, but he didn’t seem as smooth here. He also wasn’t really put in a position to do something special. Hopefully, his stock in AAW continues to rise though.
Match Rating: *3/4

Darin Corbin and Marion Fontaine cut a backstage promo. Fontaine is concerned that Corbin’s neck is injured. Corbin assures him he is fine, and that they need to get the tag titles before they deal with Tweek Phoenix.

Angelus Layne vs. MsChif
I don’t know how well this is going to turn out for Ms. Layne. MsChif has been feuding with Danny Daniels in AAW recently.

MsChif dominated the early portion of the match. They ended up on the floor, where Layne managed to hit a suplex onto the hardwood floor. MsChif came back after she was able to repeatedly drive Layne’s left shoulder into a ringpost. MsChif then hit a suplex on the floor. Back in the ring, MsChif went for a standing moonsault, but Layne avoided it and hit a running knee press for a nearfall. Layne then hit a release Northern Lights suplex. Layne went for a diving cross-body, but MsChif avoided it and hit a Baldo Bomb: 1…2…NO! MsChif then locked in an arm submission on Layne’s previously injured arm. Layne’s arms were both trapped, so she verbally submitted.

This was a solid brawl. They tried to make it seem really physical, and I think they accomplished that for the most part. The match was much more competitive than I expected, and I would assume that Layne would get more shots in AAW based on this match. Hopefully, we get a better sense of her character in her next couple of appearances.
Match Rating: **1/4

The Awesome Threesome (Knight Wagner & Jordan McEnture w/ Eryn & Ryland Foxx) vs. Josh Raymond & Christian Able vs. The Northstache Express (Marion Fontaine & Darin Corbin) [Triple Threat Match to Determine the Number One Contenders for the AAW Tag Titles]
The Threesome had the advantage on Able at the start, but Fontaine was able to tag in. Eryn tried to help, but Fontaine just gave her the Teabag. Corbin holds McEntyre up and Fontaine hits a frogsplash: 1…2…3! The Awesome Threesome were eliminated.

Raymond immediately caught Fontaine with an Oklahoma Roll, but Fontaine kicked out. Raymond then hit a springboard Shooting Star Press to the Floor on the Express and the Threesome. To say that the setup for that dive was labored would be an understatement, but I’m glad no one died. Back in the ring, Able gave the Express flapjacks and Raymond caught them with Ace Crushers: 1…2…NO! Corbin then caught Raymond with an Ace Crusher. Raymond then hit Corbin with a swinging DDT. Able and Raymond then hit Fontaine with a Vegematic: 1…2…NO! Everyone hit all the moves. Raymond finally hit Corbin with the Crisis Driver: 1…2…3!

This match didn’t have much in the way of substance, but I enjoyed the great majority of the match (and the crowd may have liked it even more than me). Raymond and Able were a little rusty when they came back in the autumn of 2011, but they have been getting sharper with every outing that I’ve seen them in. Able & Reymond vs. Jacobs and Cannon should be a good match.
Match Rating: **1/2

Sami Callihan cuts a promo, where he says he will rape professional wrestling of its respect. Classy.

Mason Beck vs. Colt Cabana
Beck seems to have less and less heat after every AAW show I see these days. A comedy match where Cabana makes him look like a fool probably won’t help matters. Cabana wore his NWA World Championship to the ring.

Cabana got Beck to tie up with the referee early on, which frustrated Beck. The crowd wanted a triple threat match after that, but the referee strongly disagreed. Cabana managed to maintain control for a few more minutes using various tricks and holds. Beck eventually threw a towel onto Cabana’s face and cut him off with a big boot to the face. Beck got a nearfall with a fallaway slam. Cabana made a comeback with a series of strikes. Colt hit the Flying Asshole and a lariat for a nearfall. Colt went for a moonsault, but Beck rolled out of the way. Beck then hit a spinebuster out of the Fireman’s Carry position: 1…2…NO! Beck called for his finisher, but Colt avoided it and locked in the Billy Goat’s Curse! Beck taps out!

After a couple of a solid undercard matches, this show came to a screeching halt with this match. It wasn’t bad or anything like that, but it was just so uninteresting and lifeless from my perspective. Neither man seemed especially motivated to deliver something special. Beck needs to be repackaged in the worst way, or I would question what he’s offering AAW at this point.
Match Rating: **1/4

Davey Richards vs. Sami Callihan
No build for this match. AAW just put it on for the sake of putting it on. I approve.

They immediately start trading a bunch of strikes. They both went for their finishing submissions early, but both men were able to escape They traded more submission attempts, but neither man would quit. Sami went after Davey’s left knee. Davey headbutted his way free from Sami and dropkicked him to the floor. Davey jumped onto the apron and went for a soccer kick, but Sami caught him and dropped him onto the apron. Davey was selling his injured knee the whole time. He probably knew Jerome Cusson was in the crowd. Sami worked him over around ringside for a bit, until Davey sent him into a guardrail and hit a Yakuza. Sami came back with a Brogue Kick that caused Davey to roll back into the ring. Sami worked him over some more. Sami went to the top rope, but Davey kicked him to the floor. Davey finally hit the soccer kick from the apron, and he then followed it up with a tope suicida. Back in the ring, Davey hit a missile dropkick and a bridging German suplex: 1…2…NO! Davey hit a series of brutal kicks. Sami eventually caught one of the kicks with a dragon screw on the injured leg. Davey was going for a superplex, but Sami escaped and superkicked Davey’s injured leg. Sami hit a Brogue Kick, a DVD, and a BOING Splash: 1…2…NO! Davey ended up on the apron, and Sami hit a Silverking lariat. Sami followed it up with a tope suicida. Back in the ring, Sami hit a Superfly Splash onto the injured leg. Davey avoided the Stretch Muffler, but Sami locked in a leglock. Davey managed to reverse it and lock in a Texas Cloverleaf. Sami made the ropes. They ended up on the apron, where Davey hit an exploder onto the apron. Davey called for the countout, but there are no countouts in AAW. Davey threw Sami back into the ring and hit a Ghetto Stomp: 1…2…NO! Sami got a small package for a nearfall. Sami hit an enzuigiri and a facewash. And another facewash. Sami went for a third, but Davey caught him with an alarm kick. Sami hit a big boot and a bigger lariat: 1…2…NO! Stretch Muffler on the injured knee! Davey reverses it into an ankle lock. Sami escaped and hit a saito suplex. Davey hit a knee to the head and a brainbuster: 1…2…NO! Davey hit a buzzsaw kick: 1…2…NO! Davey locked in an ankle lock with a grapevine! Sami passed out!

I honestly can’t imagine these two having a better match (even in Reseda, but I guess that would be the only place where they could). I’m sure there are people who would never like a match between these two no matter what, but I honestly was surprised by how smart this was worked. Both guys can kind of become self-parodies at points, but in my mind, they really did a great job here of combining the fast-paced/hard hitting action that both guys are known for with the selling/storytelling of more celebrated wrestlers. This was a great match that you should go out of your way to see.
Match Rating: ****1/4

Krotch came out, but he was quickly interrupted by Truth Martini & Danny Daniels. The three of them did a really labored segment to show that Martini was manipulating Daniels, by showing that Krotch has a good relationship with his father, but Daniels has a terrible relationship with his kids. This lead to an impromptu match.

Krotch vs. Danny Daniels (w/ Truth Martini)
Daniels was pretty much in complete control at the start. Daniels dumped him to the floor, where he beat down Krotch some more. Back in the ring, Krotch was making a brief comeback, but Martini grabbed Krotch’s foot from the outside and Daniels hit a piledriver: 1…2…3

The Daniels/Martini partnership is effective to a point, but this segment/match didn’t really grab me much. I also wish the commentators went more out of their way to explain who Krotch was because I had no idea.
Match Rating: ½*

Martini got Daniels to give Krotch a piledriver onto the steel steps after the match. Krotch got busted open. Martini tried to get Daniels to give Krotch another piledriver, but MsChif ran down and chased him off. MsChif mocked Daniels for having Martini at his side. MsChif challenges Daniels to a Chicago Street Fight for the next show. MsChif says she’ll get Krotch in her corner. Jesse Emerson attacks MsChif from behind. MsChif managed to kick Daniels in the balls, and Louis Lyndon showed up to take on Emerson.

Louis Lyndon vs. Jesse Emerson (w/ Truth Martini)
Lyndon quickly hit a moonsault to the floor. Lyndon tried for a cross-armbreaker, but Emerson escaped. Lyndon went to the top rope, but Martini crotched him. Emerson then hit a draping DDT. Emerson got the heat after that. The match spilled to the floor, where Emerson and Martini both beat down Lyndon. Back in the ring, Emerson hit the Fucking Machine Suplex for a nearfall. Lyndon came back with a springboard forearm and a kick to the face. Emerson came right back with a big powerbomb. Lyndon hit a buzzsaw kick for a nearfall. Emerson caught him with an Alabama Slam: 1…2…NO! They did a sloppy finishing sequence that ended with Lyndon getting a crucifix pin: 1…2…3!

This match was solid, but the last minute or so took it down some. Personally, I think these two tried to do too much for the amount of time they were given, and the end product didn’t really come together in a way that reflects the effort they clearly put into the match.
Match Rating: **1/2

Shane Hollister & Markus Crane (w/ Scarlett) vs. Dan Lawrence & Gregory Iron
Hollister and Crane ended up on the floor quickly, and Iron then wiped them out with a tope suicida. Lawrence then hit a senton plancha onto the rudos. Back in the ring, the tecnicos remained in control until the rudos played the numbers game to cut off Iron. The rudos worked over Iron for a while. Hollister tried to hit a brainbuster, but Iron reversed it into a DDT. Lawrence tagged in and ran wild on the rudos for a bit. Crane hit Lawrence with a Full Nelson Slam though, which got a nearfall. Lawrence and Iron had some miscommunication, and Iron accidentally punched Lawrence in the ear. Hollister then hit Iron with the God’s Last Gift: 1…2…3!

Besides Davey/Sami, this has probably been my favorite match on the show so far. They kept the structure of the match simple (which is fine), but everyone played their roles really well. Shane Hollister seems to be ready for another attempt to be pushed, and I hope some other promotions give him some better opportunities soon.
Match Rating: **1/2

Michael Elgin© vs. Kyle O’Reilly [AAW Heritage Championship]
They traded some holds early, which I’m noting just because it was weird to watch Elgin do that. Elgin hit a Bridging Northern Lights suplex for a nearfall. O’Reilly came back with a running kick for a nearfall of his own. O’Reilly hit a Brogue Kick, but Elgin hit a backfist. O’Reilly hit a superkick, but Elgin hit a gamengiri and both men went down. O’Reilly hit a tornado DDT and tried to transition into a cross-armbreaker, but Elgin escaped and hit a deadlift bridging German suplex: 1…2…NO! O’Reilly ended up on the apron, and Elgin then hit a variation of the Fucking Machine Suplex: 1…2…NO! O’Reilly came back with a saito suplex for a nearfall of his own. Elgin then turned O’Reilly inside out with a lariat: 1…2…NO! Elgin hit a Buckle Bomb. He went for a spinning powerbomb, but O’Reilly reversed it into a reverse hurricanrana. Bridging Regal-plex from O’Reilly: 1…2…NO!!! O’Reilly went for a missile dropkick, but Elgin caught with a powerbomb. Elgin then hit a Buckle Bomb and a Spinning Sitout Powerbomb: 1…2…3!

This was a really great effort, and it was pretty much the exact match you would expect these two to have underneath the main event. They didn’t work a blistering pace, but they didn’t really need to based on the card placement. If Davey vs. Sami isn’t for you, you will probably like this match a lot more. This matchup should be an AAW (and ROH) main event sooner rather than later.
Match Rating: ***1/2

BJ Whitmer, Jimmy Jacobs, & Arik Cannon vs. Silas Young & The Irish Airborne (Jake Crist & Dave Crist) (w/ Val Malone)
There is a lot of hatred between all the men in this match. The rudo side is definitely more unified though, so that is something that will surely come into play.

The rudos were arguing with some fans, and the tecnicos joined them on the floor. A huge, all over the arena brawl, predictably started the match. At one point, Crist hit Cannon with a Fosbury Flop. Whitmer was bleeding from the face. Weapons were used. Cannon hit Dave in the face with a beer can. They made their way into the ring, and the bell finally rang. Everyone took turns going at it one on one. The rudos eventually were able to isolate BJ Whitmer, and they worked him over for a while. Whitmer was eventually able to tag out to Jacobs, who was able to hit a pair of tope suicidas on the Airborne. Jacobs speared Jake for a nearfall. Young cut off Jacobs with a backbreaker/lariat combo, but Cannon made the save. Cannon killed Young with a punch and a kneeling superkick, but Crist made the save. The rudos managed to isolate Jacobs, and they then worked him over for a while. Dave went for a springboard 450 on Jacobs, but Jacobs avoided it and tagged in Cannon. Cannon hit Dave with Total Anarchy, but Jake broke up the pinfall. Everyone traded some big moves until they all went down. Cannon hit Jake with a brainbuster, but Dave made the save. Dave hit Cannon with a Pele Kick and a standing moonsault, but Whitmer made the save. Young hit Whitmer with the Finlay Roll/Pee Jee Waja Plunge, but Jacobs made the save. Jacobs locked in End Time on Young! Whitmer wiped out the Airborne with a tope suicida. Young grabbed his Heavyweight belt, but Jacobs and Cannon then sandwiched Young’s head with the tag title belts: 1…2…3!

Jacobs and Cannon argued who got the pin and who deserved to now challenge for the World Heavyweight Belt. In a great touch, Mason Beck, carried Silas Young like a baby to the back. Jacobs and Cannon had seemingly made peace, but Jacobs spat beer in Cannon’s face. They brawled for a bit.

This was a really fun main event. My only complaint was that after the crazy arena brawl before the bell rang, they all just followed the rules of tag matches for the most part. It seems like this should have just been one giant brawl until the end, or a proper tag match from the start. With that said, I still enjoyed this.
Match Rating: ***1/2

The Awesome Threesome seemingly broke up in the backstage area. Danny Daniels then showed up with Martini and Emerson and piledrove Eryn onto the floor. Martini then slapped Eryn’s ass.

Davey Richards cut a promo to hype his match with Fit Finlay. RESPECT~!

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The 411: This was a really good show from AAW. They have a must-see match in Davey Richards vs. Sami Callihan, and then there is also the strong Elgin/O'Reilly match and the solid main event. However, there's not much else on the show that you can sink your teeth into. There were some other matches that I would consider "watchable," but nothing else added to my overall enjoyment of the show. AAW has made a lot of improvements recently, and their next step should be to make everything on their DVDs feel worthwhile. Buy this DVD for $15 at the AAW store. You can also go to Smart Mark Video and get the show as a $15 DVD, a $11.99 MP4, or as a $9.99 Video on Demand. Also, check out a full/organized list of all the wrestling show reviews I've done at 411mania.

Final Score:  7.5   [ Good ]