After driving in a car for four and half hours, it was a relief to step into the Atkins Fire Department for the show. The venue was of considerable size and definitely was the type of aura that I’ve come to expect from NWA-VA shows as well as MECW shows as this was pretty much a joint show under the NWA banner. One of the highlights of the night was not even on the card though as before the show started, Brandon Day, Chris Dramin, Alexx Sage, Rick O’Brien, Drake Tungsten, Hugh B. Johnson, Scotty Blaze, and myself all played a huge round of Texas Hold ‘Em. Definitely a trip to be playing with these guys and a good way to sum up why wrestlers are the best folk in the world. Still though, I was a bit scared to sit next to Scotty Blaze. I swear, one of these days, Dramin, O’Brien, or Sage is going to pay him off to have him chop my ass bloody and I thought that was going to be the day. Thankfully, no chop was given and my skin remained pale rather than red for another day. It was also weird playing poker with Brandon Day, the first guy I ever interviewed. In the end, Brandon Day basically made us all his bitches and got bragging rights for the rest of the night.
Show started off like all joint shows in Virginia: a Fab Foundation segment that went way, way, way too long. Stan Lee, Sexy Kevina, Jamie, Misty Malibu, & Handsome Henry all came out and just started talking and yakking and I don’t even think they had a purpose except to get over that Stan was injured, but even then, it doesn’t take as long as they had to get that over. Eventually, they started bad mouthing the Xtreme Outlaws and they came out and had a stand off with them. Again, this part went way too long. For their defense though, the crowd never died during one moment of the promo. The crowd in the MECW region has always and will always be extremely hot no matter what anyone says or does. It’s a great place to run shows in. Eventually after more bickering, failed comedy spots, and stand offs, the Outlaws extended an open challenge for the belts and the United Nations of Devastation answered it by beating them down. UNOD then left with the Fab Foundation which I hope isn’t a sign that the two groups are combing because that is a stable that would make less sense than it already does and have way too many people in it. Segment was pretty bad and went way too long, but it was over with the crowd and definitely hyped up the crowd immensely.
Revelation Vs. Hall Brothers
I had never seen any of the Halls, 6D6, or Krotch before this night and from everything I heard, I was expecting a really great match. I didn’t get what I expected though, sadly. They basically had a generic match with some pretty good face/heel work, but not much else. I do believe the Halls make a damn fine tag team as they have their tag team spots down well and are amazing at getting the crowd in during face-in-peril spots. This match just didn’t seem to have any meaning to me, and while it did do a good job of debuting them in front of the crowd, at this point, I could have walked into the ring and taken a shit and the crowd would have popped. I don’t truly believe that any of these guys were bad in the match and don’t think less of what I heard of them; rather I just think they had a generic match with nothing special. Finish came when fellow Revelation member Brandon Day tripped up one of the brothers as they went for a double team move. 6D6 then hit a low blow and a power move and got the win. Like the match or not, it was good match to have opening the card.
Winners: Revelation
Star Wrestler: Both Hall Brothers
To be honest, I really don’t know which brother is which. Sorry. That’s not why I gave it to both though. I really enjoyed this team’s charisma in this match and their chemistry as a team. Though one of their spots was bit sloppy, I blame that partially on 6D6 and Krotch for waiting so long to catch them off the top rope. I don’t think there was a moment where a Hall was on the apron and not pumping up the crowd by stomping his feet or the top turnbuckle pad. These guys remind me so much like the Rockers, like I said in the car ride on the way back, and having charismatic guys like them in the opener was a very smart move. I may not have liked the match, but the Hall Brothers definitely impressed me in terms of gimmick, charisma, and tag team chemistry. I would like to see a lot more from them especially their work in VCW which I hear is fantastic.
Russian Assassin Vs. Alexx Sage
I enjoyed this match, but it was definitely weird. By weird, I mean it really had no story at all nor did it make any sense. Literally, none. First off, why put Sage against him? Second off, why still do a Soviet Union gimmick when it collapsed so long ago? Even though the gimmick of the match made virtually no sense to me, I still enjoyed it. I thought the styles would clash a bit in this match since Sage is a high flyer, but it didn’t in my opinion and I have to put that on Sage’s shoulders. Sage was able to work a pretty good match with Assassin by working the arm and not busting out too much high flying moves that probably would have made Assassin look weaker than he should have, unless it was in the finish. Speaking of the finish, it was a little odd as Sage won with an abrupt roll-up and count. It was just a weird finish, but a good rib. Right, Roach?
Winner: Alexx Sage
Star Wrestler: Alexx Sage
Sage keeping it mat-based was good and a gradual way to get the crowd behind him, which I like more than just doing a flip in the ring and having them pop for you for a second. His selling was on the ball as well as his offense in this enjoyable match. There wasn’t really anything memorable about the match, and while it wasn’t a comedy match, it was still just fun. To further my point about Sage, the pure fact that the supposed Shannon Moore of the NWA-VA finally got a win is enough to give him praise in my book.
MECW Omega Championship
Handsome Henry (c) Vs. Steve Harris
Jesus Christ, what a bad match. Basically, Handsome Henry is a manager. Why the hell does a manager get a title? Even more, why have a match with a manager and have him on the offense for the better part of it? I feel so bad for Steve Harris for having to put up with this because whether or not he is a good worker, no one deserves this. Henry’s punches missed by a mile and Harris still had to sell them like death. This was ridiculous. Thank god it didn’t last that long though. Finish was the same exact one from the Kevina-Mauler match in Independence, VA two weeks ago which shows you how well the MECW booking is. The ref caught Harris with a weapon he didn’t use and Henry playing possum and DQed Harris giving the manager another win that makes me scratch my head as the booking reaches new lows. After the match, I literally got the chills as they announced a rematch for this one. Why the hell would you unleash such a plague on humanity? In all honesty though, the match had nothing good about and for a crowd that would have popped for me taking a dump, they basically knew it was shit to begin with. This was sad and a waste of time, effort, and money.
Winner: Handsome Henry
Star Wrestler: Steve Harris
God bless Steve for actually trying to work a believable offense and God bless him for doing the job and selling Henry’s “offense” like no tomorrow. God bless you, Steve.
AIM – Douglas Nunnally
E-mail – douglasnunnally@thewrestlingvoice.com
