Views from the Hawke’s Nest: Wrestling Is Art’s In The Abstract

February 17, 2013
Bridgewater, MA

Commentators: Denver Colorado, Green Ant, Sugar Dunkerton, Sidney Bakabella, Steve Weiner, Drew Gulak, Gavin Loudspeaker, & Mike Quackenbush

Drew Gulak vs. Mike Quackenbush
Gulak was a product of the Chikara Wrestle Factory when Quack was training students for Chikara and CZW. Gulak made a few appearances in Chikara many years ago, but he is mostly known for his work in CZW, Beyond Wrestling, WWN, Wrestling Is, and a few other places.

They traded a lot of holds to start the match. Neither man could get a decisive advantage. Quack was able to get an advantage for a bit, but Gulak eventually escaped and locked in a modified STF. Quack was almost able to get free, but Gulak then got a crossface variation. Quack eventually did escaped and then got a leg trap crossface. The got to their feet briefly, but Quack quickly got a headlock, which grounded Gulak. They continued to trade holds for a while. Gulak got an armbreaker out of nowhere. I just realized Green Ant was on commentary. He speaks really normally for an ant. Quack escaped and sat down in a really deep pinning combination: 1…2…3

This was a really fun way to start the show, as it’s a style we do not get too much of in wrestling anymore. The crowd never really got into it that much, but I enjoyed it anyway.
Match Rating: **3/4

Francis O’Rourke vs. assailANT
They did some gaga about Francis hating his name before the match. Francis eventually got control of the match and then worked over assailANT. assailANT finally came back with a Rock Bottom. Francis came back by dropping assailANT on his head with a half-nelson suplex: 1…2…3

This was relatively short and to the point. Francis was in control for most of the match. There’s a definitely a lack of energy in the building that is taking away from the show for me.
Match Rating: **

JAKA vs. Anthony Stone
Stone got JAKA to the floor, but JAKA blocked a dive from Stone. JAKA then worked him over. Stone eventually came back with a jumping meteora on the apron. Stone followed that up with a tope con hello. Back in the ring, JAKA reversed a diving attack into a choke bomb for a good nearfall. JAKA then dropped Stone on his head with a German. JAKA then locked in the Jaws of the Jaguar, and Stone tapped out.

I enjoyed this. It was fairly basic in structure, but they did enough nifty stuff to keep my attention.
Match Rating: **1/2

The Batiri (Obariyon, Kodama, & Kobald) vs. Estonian Thunder Frog, JT Dunn, & Aaron Epic
This is a solid matchup on paper. The crowd seemed into the tecnico team a lot when they did their entrance. That makes me hopeful.

Dunn started the match with three straight dives. Someone is trying to get booked more. Almost right after that, Dunn got cut off and then worked over. Dunn hit Kobald with a pumphandle backbreaker and then tagged out to Epic. Epic then made a comeback. The teams went back and forth. The Batiri tried to use the hammer, but they could not lift it. Thunder Frog then hit a TRIPLE German. That is literally the first time I have ever seen that. Thunder Frog then ate the Demon’s Device: 1…2…3

This match had some cool stuff, but there just a distinct lack of emotion and energy at this show that is taking away from everything.
Match Rating: **1/2

Darius Carter vs. Brian Fury
I believe this was a Beyond Wrestling showcase match.

Recap from Murray Peterson:
In the Abstract was Wrestling is Art’s second show in their debut weekend. The whole idea behind Wrestling is Art is, you guessed it, to show the artistic expression, depth and diversity that wrestling offers. Commentary provided by Drew Gulak and Denver Colorado. The man, not the place, if you were wondering.

Darius Carter may come out to the ring to symphony music and dressed rather dapper, but Brian Fury could easily be an extra for a viking movie. I appreciate that on the second show of the company launch both guys do as much as they can to get their gimmick across to the fans who might be reaching them for the first time through SMV. As the crowd jeers Carter by calling him Urkel, I know I’ll enjoy this match. Match heads to the mat quickly, both wrestlers jostle for position but neither can gain control. Back up to their feet Fury takes Carter into a wrist lock, but Carter rolls away and out of the ring. On his return Carter is locked up again with several holds, Fury putting on a display of his technical wrestling skills. Carter decides to break the pace of the match and begin striking with Fury, starting with a boot to the stomach and a European uppercut. Sent to the outside Carter takes a huge tope suicida from Fury. Tossing Carter back into the ring Fury heads for the turnbuckle but before he can liftoff he gets caught with a impressive enziguri. Fury has a pretty rough fall and Darius takes this time to rest up inside the ring. Carter ends up manoeuvring Fury to the edge of the mat and chokes him with the ring skirt. First pin fall of the match is only a two count. Fury tries to match Darius with strikes but is sent into the ropes chest first and is shot backwards into a drop kick. After several failed pinning attempts by Darius he ends up in a altercation with the ref which gives Fury some time to recuperate. It does little good as Carter slips on a sleeper hold rather quickly. He can’t get the arm to drop three times and Fury is up and on a comeback. A rather nice sequence results in a smooth neck-breaker only getting Fury a two count in his first pin attempt. Enziguries are exchanged and Fury drops Carter with a back body drop for another two count. Carter dumps Fury onto his neck with a Regal-plex but can’t keep the shoulders down. Taking too much time Carter ends up getting popped up into a powerbomb which Fury converts directly into a Boston Crab. Darius can’t make it to the ropes and is forced to tap.

This match was very easy to sit through. Both Darius Carter and Brian Fury are veterans and it comes across in the ease in which they tell a story in the ring. Also, Gulak and Colorado worked well as a team on commentary; Gulak was offering some great humour. There were no bone crunching moves or insane spots but the match was well worked and I will always be content with that.

Thoughts from TJ Hawke:
Carter and Fury are two of the more solid members of the Beyond Wrestling roster. They didn’t work the most exciting match ever, but I really enjoyed what they did here (and I tend to enjoy most of the matches each guy has had over the years). Once again, the emotion and energy was not there, but they did some nifty stuff.
Match Rating: **1/2

AR Fox vs. Tim Donst
This was Fox’s debut weekend for Chikara/Wrestling Is. Donst is a large boy.

Fox hit a split-legged moonsault for an early nearfall. Fox sent Donst to the floor and hit a Deadman Suicida. He then easily hit the kickflip moonsault. Donst came right back with an apron powerbomb. Donst worked him over after that. Fox eventually came back and hit his three consecutive dives sequence. They went back and forth. Fox got a nearfall with a 450. Fox went for the Lo Mein Pain, but Donst grabbed on to Cameraman Gary in order to avoid it. Donst then hit Fox with a piece of the ring and a diving Rock Bottom: 1…2…3

This had a bit more energy than the last few matches, but once again, there was something missing from this one. These two had a bit more chemistry than you would have expected at least.
Match Rating: **3/4

The Devastation Corporation (Blaster McMassive & Max Smashmaster w/ Sidney Bakabella) vs. Friends In Similar Tights (Chuck Taylor & Sugar Dunkerton)
There was a lot of gaga going on before the match. The match finally started and there was even more gaga. Sugar and Sidney danced for a bit. Devastation Corporation eventually cut off Sugar and worked him over. That went on for a while. Eventually, Chuck tagged in and made a comeback. Sugar accidentally hit Blaster and Chuck with a dropkick. Chuck walked out on the match. The Corporation then hit Sugar with their finisher: 1…2…3.

Unfortunately, this match was nearly all gaga, and I was not all that into said gaga. There were a couple of amusing moments, but I was expecting more a tad more from the comedy.
Match Rating: **

Colt Cabana vs. Green Ant
They went back and forth for a while. They were trading holds and whatnot. Green Ant eventually got a firm advantage after hitting a missile dropkick. Green Ant was in control for a while. He went after Colt’s leg a lot. Cabana made a comeback, but his injured leg hampered him. Green Ant got a Cloverleaf. Cabana survived and went for Billy Goat’s Curse. Green Ant escaped and hit a superkick. Colt dropped him with a gutbuster on the turnbuckle: 1…2…3

I don’t know why I had higher expectations for this match. It was a Colt Cabana match in 2013 in front of this crowd, but I was definitely expecting more from these two given that they were working the main event and their mat-wrestling abilities would seemingly be compatible. Instead, they only did some mat stuff and then had a normal match. This was uninspired.
Match Rating: **1/4

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The 411: This was a super flat show that I do not recommend at all. There was nothing offensively bad or anything, but there was absolutely nothing anyone needs to see. Considering this was one of the more hyped shows from Wrestling Is, I'm pretty set on not checking out any other shows from them.
Final Score:  4.0   [ Poor ]