Views from the Hawke’s Nest: AAW Reign of Violence 2012

Berwyn, Il
August 24, 2012

Commentators: Phil Colvin & Dave Prazak

Shane Hollister (w/ Scarlett & Markus Crane) vs. Mr. Miller
This match should be very good. I hope it gets a decent amount of time.

Miller almost got a big kick in, so Hollister retreated to the floor. Hollister got back in the ring, and Miller greeted him with a spinning heel kick. Crane managed to low blow Miller to the floor, which allowed Hollister to start working him over. Miller managed to get a big kick in, but Hollister cut him off. Miller ended up on the floor again. Crane and Scarlett tried to interfere again, but Miller avoided it and went back into the ring in order to hit a corkscrew plancha on Crane and Hollister. Back in the ring, Miller hit a buzzsaw kick and superkick stomp: 1…2…NO! Miller hit a dragon suplex: 1…2…NO! Miller hit his diving Yakuza and went to the top rope. Crane and Scarlett distracted him, so Hollister was able to palm strike Miller. Miller kicked him in the face, but Miller got hung up in the corner and Hollister was able to hit a superkick. Hollister then hit God’s Last Gift: 1…2…3! Hollister has used God’s Last Gift three straight shows to get a win.

This was a solid opener, but I think these two are capable of much better stuff down the line. It’s a shame that Miller had to job in one of his bigger singles opportunities lately, but I’m digging Hollister’s shtick at the moment. Miller is really talented, but this is now three straight shows where I’ve been somewhat underwhelmed by his performance.
Match Rating: **3/4

Jim Lynam was backstage with Phil Colvin, and he introduced the new matchmaker, Tony Rican. Rican said he’s signed Isaias Velasquez to a match for next month. This segment was awkwardly shot.

Davey Vega vs. Danny Daniels (w/ Truth Martini)
This matchup is pretty fucking random. And I watch a lot of random matches.

Daniels managed to dropkick Vega into a turnbuckle, and he then sent Davey to the floor for Martini to get in a few shots. Daniels gave Vega a scoop slam onto the floor. Daniels worked Vega over for a while, until Vega was able to hit a middle rope diving Codebreaker. Vega hit a rolling elbow and an enzuigiri. Vega got a nearfall on a missile dropkick. Vega managed to hit a slingshot Mic Check and then locked in a Koji Clutch (possibly just a variation of one). Martini pulled Daniels’s legs onto the ropes to break the hold. Daniels managed to murder Vega with a piledriver onto the ring apron. Daniels had to drag Vega back into the ring: 1…2…3!

I would say that this match overachieved, but I continue to be unimpressed by the Danny Daniels push at the expense of far more interesting and talented people. Davey Vega being one of those people.
Match Rating: **1/2

The CLASH (Cameron Skyy & Austin Mannix) vs. Louis Lyndon & Marion Fontaine
Fontaine took out Skyy with a slingshot plancha. Lyndon took out Mannix with a moonsault. The rudos were able to isolate Lyndon, and they got the heat on him for a while. Lyndon was eventually able to deliver a couple of strikes and then tag out to Fontaine. Fontaine hit the teabag on Mannix for a nearfall. Fontaine wiped out Skyy with a tope suicida. Fontaine hit Mannix with a superkick. Lyndon then hit Mannix with a moonsault and locked in a dragon sleeper: 1…2…3

This was a nothing match. Lyndon was challenging for the heavyweight title earlier in the year, and now he’s teaming with Marion Fontaine. Lyndon is one of the most talented members of the AAW roster, and I feel like he could definitely be put to better use. Fontaine is someone that I liked on some of the first AAW and AIW shows that I’ve watched, but I have grown bored with him.
Match Rating: **1/4

MsChif came out for a promo. MsChif announced that she will challenge Saraya Knight for the SHIMMER World Title in October on an AAW show. She says she’s still angry at Danny Daniels. Truth Martini comes out and says he’s hearing a lot of “hoopla.” MsChif challenged him to a fight. He poked her in the eye, and she then responded with some mist. MsChif made him tap. Danny Daniels and Jesse Emerson ran down. Michael Elgin evened the odds…

Michael Elgin© vs. Jesse Emerson [AAW Heritage Championship]
They quickly ended up brawling on the floor. Elgin gave him a scoop slam on the floor. Elgin was just running through Emerson, until the rudo got a dragon screw legwhip in the ropes. Emerson proceeded to go after that injured left leg. Emerson had the advantage for a while, but Elgin managed to hit a gamengiri. Elgin hit a series of chops and knees. Elgin got a nearfall with a bridging German suplex. Emerson hit an Alabama Slam: 1…2…NO! Emerson locked in a single leg crab on the injured leg. Elgin escaped, but Emerson hit an urinagi for another nearfall. Elgin came back with an enzuigiri and locked in a cross-face. Danny Daniels ran back in, but Elgin locked him into a cross-face. Emerson rolled Elgin up, but the Crazyhorse reversed it into a cross-face. Emerson taps out!

Elgin says AAW has the best competition and he’s proud to be the Heritage Champion. He says he still needs another belt though, and that belt is Silas’s AAW Heavyweight Championship.

I’m a huge Elgin fan, but Emerson doesn’t excite me much, so I didn’t expect much from this match. However, this match definitely worked out well, and I’m now looking forward to see more stuff from Emerson going forward. This was a very good mid-card match that you should not sleep on. Easily the best match of the show so far.
Match Rating: ***1/4

Colt Cabana, Gregory Iron, & Dan Lawrence vs. Mason Beck & The Irish Airborne (Dave & Jake Crist)
I thought Lawrence and Iron broke up at the last show, but apparently, they did not. Beck & the Airborne are Silas Young’s henchmen.

The tecnicos were in control in the early goings. They used some shenanigans and tomfoolery to frustrate the rudos. Eventually, the rudos were able to isolate Iron, and they got the heat on the Handicapped Hero. The heat went on for a good while, but eventually Cabana tagged in and made a big comeback. The tecnicos managed to knock all the rudos out and they fell asleep in the ring. Beck took off Lawrence’s head with a big boot. Cabana low-bridged Beck out of the ring. Lawrence and Iron were going to finish off Dave, but Lawrence walked out on the match. The Airborne destroyed Cabana and Iron. Beck then hit Cabana with the Beck Mountain Bomb, but Iron pulled out the referee. The crowd cheered. The Airborne went to take out Iron, which allowed Cabana to catch Beck with a backslide: 1…2…3!!! Beck lost again. I loled.

The Airborne attacked Iron after the match, and they hit the Ghetto Stomp/Tombstone on the floor. AAW officials helped Iron to the back. Shane Hollister, Markus Crane, & Scarlett attacked Cabana. Cabana managed to give Hollister a Go-2-Sleep and he pulled Scarlett’s shirt off. The crowd loves Colt Cabana.

You know how in the WWE that John Cena will somehow always come out on top at the expense of anyone else? That’s kind of how Cabana was booked in this segment. Obviously, Cabana is not booked like John Cena all the time in AAW, so it’s not really all that obnoxioius. It just definitely seems notable that Cabana was not only never made to look weak here, but he pretty much felt like the only person who was a star. Match was OK.
Match Rating: **1/2

Darin Corbin vs. Tweek Phoenix
These two do not like each other. Phoenix turned on Corbin’s friend, Joey Eastman a few shows back.

They brawl. They brawl some more. “Did we just see a set of titties like five minutes ago,” Phil Colvin in fine form as usual. Phoenix backdropped Corbin onto the hardwood floor. Corbin managed to crotch Phoenix on the ropes. All of a sudden, Krotch’s sister, Nikki Mayday, jumped the guardrail and yelled at Corbin. AAW security tried to get Nikki out of the ring. Keith Walker then showed up in a gas mask (Bane, lol AAW) and attacked Corbin and Marion Fontaine. Kevin Harvey and Lamar Titan joined in on the beatdown. Louis Lyndon tried to make the save, but Harvey threw a fireball in his face. This is the @AAWWeAreComing stable that was doing weird Twitter things and viral videos.

As far as invasion angles go, this was executed pretty well. The only negative thing (in my mind) is that none of the invading players seem like a big deal. That being said, this could be an opportunity for all of them to become bigger stars in the AAW bubble (at the very least). If nothing else, this angle definitely accomplished the basic goal of making me interested in what happens next.

Silas Young asks the Irish Airborne and Beck why they are losing all the time. Airborne tell Silas he’s on his own tonight. Beck was trying to convey emotion. He failed.

Sami Callihan vs. BJ Whitmer
Whitmer immediately hit a Yakuza and an exploder suplex: 1…2…NO! Sami came right back and managed to hit a tope suicida. Back in the ring, Whitmer kicked Sami right back to the floor. That gave Whitmer the advantage, and he worked Sami over after that. Sami tried to come back with a couple of lariats, but Whitmer stayed on his feet. Sami hit a Brogue kick that hurt Whitmer a little bit more. Whitmer ended up on the middle rope, but Sami managed to super kick his leg out. Sami hit two facewashes. Whitmer blocked a third attempt, but Sami managed to hit a DVD: 1…2…NO! Whitmer caught him with an exploder: 1…2…NO! Sami hit a saito suplex: 1…2…NO! Whitmer hit a big boot for another nearfall. Whitmer then did his Fisherman neckbreaker/Fisherman suplex combo: 1…2…NO! Sami went for a Stretch Muffler, but BJ reversed it into a Peruvian Necktie. Sami got his leg on the ropes. Sami kicked out Whitmer’s leg again and hit a Sliding D: 1…2…NO! Whitmer avoided the Stretch Muffler again, but Sami kicked his leg out again. Sami finally got the Stretch Muffler, and BJ had to tap!

This was a really well worked match that I enjoyed much more than the crowd. The crowd responded well to the finish, but they seemed to be sitting on their hands for most of the match. I would love to see a rematch one day.
Match Rating: ***1/4

ACH cut a promo about how he promises himself to always be better than the day before.

Silas Young© (w/ Val Malone) vs. ACH [AAW Heavyweight Championship]
Silas says he will beat ACH in under two minutes, because Mason Beck defeated ACH in seven minutes. I am very excited for this match.

ACH asked for a handshake! Silas Young does not do handshakes. ACH sent Young to the floor with a leaping hurricanrana. Silas seemed perturbed, but he then tried to condescendingly clap for ACH. Young offered a handshake, but he kicked ACH instead. ACH sent Young to the floor, but Silas then sent ACH into the guardrail. ACH springboarded off the guardrail and hit a forearm. Val Malone pulled on ACH’s leg, which allowed Silas to cut ACH off. ACH managed to come back with his diving lariat through the turnbuckle. ACH went for a cross-body, but Silas caught him and hit a backbreaker. ACH came back with some kicks. ACH went for a slingshot move, but Silas caught him with a bridging Northern Lights Suplex: 1…2…NO! ACH came back with a Mic Check variation. They traded some strikes. ACH then hit a slingshot Ace Crusher: 1…2…NO! They traded more strikes. ACH hit a running knee, and Silas had to grab the ropes during the pinfall. Silas caught him with a bridging German: 1…2…NO! ACH got a Hadouken, but Silas caught him with the backbreaker/lariat combo: 1…2…NO! Young hit a Finlay Roll, but ACH avoided the Pee-Jee Waja Plunge. ACH hit the five amigos and a snap Falcon Arrow. ACH set up for the middle rope 450, but Malone blocked it. Young avoided the 450, hit a Full Nelson Bomb, and then locked in the Stock Lock! ACH had to tap.

This was a really good match, and these two have a great dynamic that I would love to see explored in rematches. However, much like the Whitmer/Callihan match, the crowd gave these guys absolutely nothing. These two definitely have a great match in them though.
Match Rating: ***1/2

Young actually put ACH over a bit after the match. Michael Elgin came out and challenged Young to an “I Quit” match for the Heavyweight Title at the next show. Young agrees, but he makes Elgin put the Heritage Title on the line as well. Malone and Young try to jump Elgin, but Elgin puts Young into the cross-face and Silas immediately taps out. Malone rakes Elgin’s eyes, which allows Young to hit Elgin with the Full Nelson Bomb and lock in the Stock Lock. Elgin refuses to tap, so Young releases the hold and hits Elgin with the belt.

@AAWWeAreComing cut a bootleg promo outside somewhere. They are bringing the violence.

Arik Cannon & Jimmy Jacobs© vs. Zero Gravity (CJ Esparza & Brett Gakiya) [AAW Tag Titles]
Zero Gravity are some high fliers that haven’t been in AAW for several months. However, they still had an AAW Tag Title rematch clause that they are now cashing in.

One of the high fliers wiped out the champs with a tope suicida. Cue some brawling on the floor. Back in the ring, Zero Gravity were still in control until Jacobs kicked Gakiya in the corner. The champs worked over Gakiya for a while. Gakiya eventually escaped the beating and tagged out to Esparza. Jacobs caught Esparza, and now, it was Esparza’s turn to be worked over. At one point, Jacobs started trolling Cannon from the apron. Jacobs and Cannon kept getting distracted, which gave Esparza time to recover. Despite this, Esparza was still receiving the longest beatdown ever. Finally, Gakiya tagged in and ran wild on the champs. Gakiya got a nearfall on Cannon with a Lionsault. Esparza grazed Jacobs with a somersault plancha. Cannon gave Esparza a Buckle Bomb and a big lariat: 1…2…NO! Jacobs took out Gakiya with a spear. Esparza went for Shooting Star, but Jacobs caught him with an Ace Crusher. Cannon killed Gakiya with a kneeling superkick and a twisting brainbuster. Jacobs made the cover: 1…2…3!

This Irish Airborne jumped the champs after the match. They hit Jacobs with the Ghetto Stomp/Tombstone combo. They gave Cannon the same combo. Jake gave Gakiya and Esparza some superkicks.

This was a weird main event. It wasn’t bad or anything like that, it just felt very insignificant. My main problem with the idea of tag teams, and specifically tag champions, that can’t get along is that when they are successful, they bury every team that they beat. Jacobs and Cannon actively don’t get along and rarely work together, which makes Zero Gravity (or whoever they beat) seem really weak. On top of that problematic development in the AAW tag division, the match was long and not especially interesting. Young vs. ACH would have been the better main event, but since this was ACH’s second AAW match ever, I understand the reasoning of making this the main event.
Match Rating: ***

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The 411: This is my fourth AAW show this year, and this has been the most consistent one yet. There isn't any one match that you have to go out of your way to see, but there is a whole lot of good throughout the show. It's very nice to see AAW putting ACH in a high profile position after they jobbed him out to Mason Beck in April. AAW also continues to maximize their use of Sami Callihan, by putting him in positions to always deliver good matches. While there were definitely some major positives to this show, there were a couple of clear negatives. The usually reliable Berwyn crowd pretty much shit the bed in the second half, and everything in the second half suffered as a result. A good crowd is often the difference between a good show and a great show, and this show was definitely not great. Also, the tag title situation is officially no longer working in my mind. Jacobs and Cannon are pretty amusing as tag champions that don't get along, but they're bringing down the whole division. Even with that said, this show is definitely still a "Thumbs Up." Win a free AAW DVD here. 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:  7.0   [ Good ]