Written by: Bob Colling
American Championship Entertainment presents Crossroads VI
Date: 6/12/2010
From: Union City, NY
I thought there was a nice video package to star the show highlighting various wrestlers and how they got hooked into wrestling. It led into several big matches getting spotlighted and I can honestly say I’m intrigued with what is being presented.
At the last show, Aftermath, Bandido Jr. turned his back on Azireal. Apparently, Azireal took out Bandido’s manager, Mike Lewis. Mike Lewiis comes out wearing a neck brace to sell that attack.
Opening Contest: Azrieal vs. Bandido Jr.: Bandido decides that he’s not going to wrestle and begins to leave, but comes back. Azireal takes Bandido down to the mat and they trade blows on the canvas with Azireal getting control in the corner. They trade a few chops with Azireal then hitting a backdrop as Bandido came out of the corner. Bandido goes to the floor and sits in the crowd trying to regroup. Azireal goes to the floor and continues to beat on Bandido with strikes before returning to the ring. Bandido delivers a kick on the apron and covers Azireal for a two count. Bandido forearms Azireal for a two count. Azireal catches Bandido with an atomic drop and chop. Bandido regains control by delivering a low blow. Bandido takes Azireal over with a snap suplex. They begin to run the ropes until Azireal baseball slides Mike Lewis on the floor. Bandido didn’t realize what happened and misses a crossbody to the floor. Azireal hits Bandido out with a somersault dive to the floor!
Back in the ring, they begin to trade chops in the middle of the ring. Bandido delivers a kick in the corner and comes off the middle rope to hit a missile dropkick for a two count. Bandido superkicks Azireal in the corner followed by a swinging neckbreaker for a near fall. Bandido plants Azireal with a tornado DDT. Azireal plants Bandido with a powerbomb and a superkick for a two count. Azireal goes to the top because Lewis pulled the referee off on the pin attempt. Azireal misses a top rope attempt and Bandido gets a victory roll for the win. Bandido had a handful of tights. (**3/4. That was a solid opening match with a few high spots, which they didn’t overdo. It was productive but isn’t going to kill the crowd for anything else.)
Backstage, two dudes are interviewed regarding the battle royal for the number one contenders spot for the ACE Tag Team Championships. They believe they have the smarts and skill to win the match. They’re coming for the team that wins the TLC match later tonight.
Second Contest: WSU Heavyweight Champion Mercedes Martinez & Alicia vs. The Bella Saints: It looks like this match is in partnership with WSU. Martinez defends the title against Alicia in two weeks in the same venue for WSU. I have virtually no interest in this match and I’m figuring Alicia will turn on Martinez to promote their title match. As soon as I write that sentence, they both tagged in at times to piss the other one off. So, you know it going to happen. Martinez hit a fisherman buster and Alicia hit one as well to win the match. So, instead of a heel turn or anything they decided to do the spot where one girl wins the match using the others finisher. I’m glad this didn’t go longer than five minutes.
Alicia gets on the microphone and promotes their title match in two weeks. She’s been watching Martinez and the belt. She notes how she won the match using the champs finishing move. Alicia distracts Martinez and Britney Savage comes in trying to hit an ace cutter, but Martinez fights her off. Martinez promotes a bullrope match she’s having with Savage. Alicia spikes Martinez with the A-Bomb. Alicia proclaims the title will be hers. So, I was off just a little bit on the heel turn. Martinez gets up and discredits Alicia and tells her that she won’t be able to beat her even on her best day. Martinez is coming prepared to kick Alicia’s ass. This would be the definition of a promo taking way too long.
Backstage, two guys are talking about the tag team battle royal. They talk about what they need to do. They are the biggest tag team in ACE. One of the guys said that they can’t allow anyone to get them off their feet.
The rules of the match is basically the same as a Royal Rumble match, but it just involves tag teams. It is safe to say I’ll know nobody in the match.
Third Contest: Chance Of A Lifetime Tag Team Rumble: The first team is BS Express. The second team is a team that even the commentary team doesn’t know. The team is Giovanni Marranica and Thomas Rodriguez. The third team is Dover and Sean Walker. They quickly eliminate Giovanni to eliminate that team. Walker press slams Rodriguez over the top onto Giovanni to add insult to injury. Dover hit a springboard moonsault on one of the BS guys. The fourth team involved is Team Tagged. They take out Dover with a double face buster. Walker plants them with a double choke slam, but gets clotheslined over the top by BS to eliminate the duo. The crowd is behind Anthony Silva, a member of Team Tagged. The final team is Steel Johnson, two of the biggest guys in ACE. They clear house upon entry into the match. They dump Silva over the top to the floor to eliminate Team Tagged. That leaves BS Express in the ring with Steel Johnson. Johnson hits a swinging backbreaker. Steel Johnson hit two big splashes in the corner. Steel gets clotheslined over the top to the floor and the BS Express is able to win the match. (*1/2. It wasn’t too bad of a match, I guess. However, it seemed like the crowd was hoping that Steel Johnson would win the battle royal. There weren’t any slow parts so the viewing was simple and didn’t drag along.)
Backstage, Mike Donovan is interviewed regarding his match with Crowbar. Donovan knows that what happened last month might have brought his confidence now, but that’s not the case. Donovan talks about a three way match he had and says he never backs down from a match. Crowbar kicked Donovan in the nuts to win the match. He thinks that Crowbar sees him as threat and that’s why he was kicked in the nuts. Donovan says there will be no excuses or distractions. He’s coming with everything he’s got. All it takes is one south side knockout and it’s lights out.
Fourth Contest: Mike Donovan vs. Crowbar: I was surprised to see that Donovan was the face for this match. Crowbar works over Donovan with a clothesline and a scoop slam. Crowbar hits a slingshot splash into the ring and a springboard moonsault. Crowbar gets dumped to the apron and Donovan delivers a right hand followed by a springboard back elbow to knock Crowbar to the floor. Donovan chops Crowbar on the floor a few times. Donovan drops Crowbar over the guard railing a few times. Donovan goes to the top rope hitting a crossbody for a two count. Donovan plants Crowbar with a back suplex for a two count. Crowbar drops Donovan over the top rope gut first. Crowbar drops Donovan over the top rope throat first and Donovan falls to the floor from the apron. Crowbar sits Donovan on a chair after delivering several chops. Crowbar jabs Donovan a few times and comes off the apron to deliver a diving clothesline. Crowbar gets in the ring selling his arm and Mike Lewis stomps on Donovan.
Back in the ring, Crowbar sticks his thumbs into Donovan’s eyes. Crowbar takes Donovan over with a northern lights suplex for a two count. Crowbar delivers a double chop and covers Donovan for a two count. Crowbar delivers a double leg drop for a near fall. Mike Lewis chokes Donovan over the middle rope for a moment. Crowbar goes back to ripping at Donovan’s eyes and does a fish hook for a moment. Donovan delivers a few knee strikes and comes off the ropes with a bulldog. Donovan clotheslines Crowbar a few times. Donovan dropkicks Crowbar for a two count. Crowbar kicks Donovan several times in the corner followed by chops. Donovan battles back with an elbow strike a crossbody to a seated Crowbar for a two count. Crowbar hits a sit out spine buster for a two count. It appeared the referee messed up the count and may have counted a three. Donovan avoids a low blow attempt and delivers the Southside Knockout, but Mike Lewis pulls the referee out of the ring. The referee ejects Lewis while on the floor and has his back to the action. Crowbar hits a reverse DDT on Donovan and has a steel chair. Crowbar hits a slingshot leg drop onto the chair and the referee returns to count the fall on Donovan to give Crowbar the match. (**1/2. A decent match and I completely thought that Donovan was going to get the win here. The crowd seemed to be a little deflated that Donovan lost the match. The action was fine for what it was, though the match might have gone a little too long.)
Backstage, William Wyeth is interviewed regarding his barbed wire match. Tonight, the issues with Rivera comes to an end. The match is the most dangerous one that ACE has ever signed. Tonight, blood will spill and the streets will run red. Wyeth warns that Rivera should have never crossed his path.
The following match is billed as a match “ten years in the making”. I’m not sure I understand that promotion. They wrestled several times on WWE Heat in like 2002.It is mentioned that this match isn’t a hardcore match. Raven cuts a promo on Dreamer saying that they get along now and there’s no real hatred. Raven proceeds to low blow Dreamer and hit him with the microphone.
Fifth Contest: Raven vs. Tommy Dreamer: Raven beats on Dreamer and taunts him using the microphone. Raven dumps Dreamer to the floor and continues to punish his longtime rival. Raven sends Dreamer into the guard railing ribs first. Raven uses a chair on Dreamer in the crowd. They are brawling in front of the commentary team. Back in the ring, Dreamer low blows Raven. The announcers reveal that the match is under Ravens Rules. Dreamer follows Raven backstage but they quickly return and Dreamer sends Raven into a stop sign. Dreamer sends Raven into the crowd and continues to brawl with him. Dreamer low blows Raven against a wall. Raven drives Dreamer face first onto the apron and drops Dreamer groin first onto the guard railing. Raven baseball slides Dreamer off the apron. Raven pulls Dreamer groin first into the ring post. Raven tosses a few chairs into the ring as Dreamer tries to recover on the mat. Dreamer sends Raven into a wedged chair in the corner and Raven crashes to the floor. Dreamer lays Raven onto a chair in the ring but picks him up looking for a suplex. Raven counters with a suplex of his own driving Dreamer onto the chairs.
Raven plays to the crowd but Dreamer uses a chair to jab Raven in the midsection. Dreamer has the chair but Raven kicks the chair into Dreamer’s face. Raven goes for the cover, but Dreamer counters with a rollup for a two count. Raven attempts a DDT, but Dreamer counters and spikes Raven down to the mat for a near fall. Dreamer sets up two chairs in the ring. Raven fights back with strikes, but Dreamer comes back only to get met with a drop toe hold onto the chairs. Somehow, Dreamer recovered first and nearly pinned Raven. Dreamer plants Raven onto the chair with a running bulldog, but Raven kicks out at two. Raven hammers away on Raven in the corner, but Raven breaks free and pushes Dreamer off the middle rope for a two count. Raven spikes Dreamer with a DDT but can’t put him away. Raven delivers another DDT but Dreamer kicks out again. Raven tries for a third, but Dreamer counters with a DDT and pins Raven. (**1/4. This was just your typical ECW style brawl and two guys relying on their finishing move to pop the crowd. I was hoping that Dreamer wouldn’t go over since that was always the main storyline between the two. There wasn’t any blood nor was there many weapons used. So, that was disappointing.)
Tommy Dreamer grabs a microphone and mentions ECW to get the chant going. Dreamer puts over Raven and how important he is to the business. Dreamer dedicates the match to everyone that supported them. Dreamer thanks the promotion, as well. Raven gets the microphone and says he wants to return to ACE. He’d want to wrestle Dreamer in a dog collar match. Raven says that if it doesn’t happen then its his fault because he asks for a lot of money. He considers the crowd to be mediocre at best.
Backstage, R8D X cut a promo saying that the tag titles belong to them and they are coming for them. They say that the match will need viewer discretion advised warning.
Sixth Contest: William Wyeth vs. Jorge Luis Rivera in a four corners of barbwire match: Well, this is probably going to be just a death match style kind of match so I won’t repeat the constant barbed wire shots or teases of usage. Rivera dropkicks Wyeth into the barbed wire within fifteen seconds of the match starting. Wyeth uses the barbed wire boards to dig into Rivera’s forehead. They go to the floor and Rivera beats on Wyeth with strikes before using a fist full of barbed wire. Of course, they are both busted open early on into the match. Wyeth drops the barbed wire board onto Rivera’s back. Rivera bulldogs Wyeth onto the barbed wire board. Rivera whacks Wyeth over the back with the board. Rivera smashes Wyeth over the back again. Wyeth backdrops Rivera on the barbed wire board. Wyeth uses the barbed wire on Rivera’s forehead. Wyeth grabs a few cooking sheets from under the ring. Wyeth whacks Rivera over the head with the cooking sheet. Wyeth hits a spine buster onto the barbed wire boards and cooking sheets, but can’t get a three count. Rivera clotheslines Wyeth onto the pile of boards and cooking sheets. Rivers delivers a leg drop a couple of times. Rivera locks in a figure four in the middle of the ring on the boards and Rivera wins the match by submission. (*1/2. Well, I certainly wasn’t expecting a figure four to finish off this death match. The appeal of these matches lasts about five minutes for me. Anything after that then it’s just dragging out time for me.)
Backstage, ACE Heavyweight Champion Dan Maff is interviewed regarding the upcoming Iron Man match with Mo Sexton. It is a thirty minute match. Maff says he’s already done that. It will only take thirty minutes for him to show who the top guy is in this company. Maff knows that Sexton has tried his best before and it wasn’t enough. Maff is going to prove that Sexton isn’t on the same level as him. He will expose Sexton for exactly what he is.
Seventh Contest: ACE Tag Team Champions R8D X (Envy & Capone) vs. Midnight Sensations (Chris Rockwell & Sam Shield) in a tables, ladders and chairs match: The champs start off taking the opponents down hitting Rockwell with a double team knee drop/backbreaker combo. Challengers come back with an atomic drop and scissors kick. Sensations setup a ladder and begin to climb but Capone stops them sending Rockwell into Shields and Shields drops down to the mat. Capone and Shields go to the floor following a clothesline. Rockwell is on a table, but Shield stops Capone from putting him through a table on the aisle. Envy takes the challengers out with a somersault dive on the floor. Shield and Capone are on the ladder but they both get knocked off. Rockwell tossed Capone off the ladder. Envy hits the ladder face first and gets dropkicked by Rockwell. Rockwell tries to get the belts, but Envy head scissors Rockwell from the other side of the ladder! Capone comes off the chair to hit a shooting star press on Sensations. Shields powerbombs Capone onto a ladder in the corner. Shields runs up the ladder to hit a sunset flip powerbomb on Capone driving him down to the mat. Rockwell gets met with a double backstabber, but the champs used the ladder for added punishment.
Envy kicks Shields and sets a ladder up again. Envy fights off both challengers on the ladder, but the challengers hit Envy with a double ace cutter off the ladder! Capone stops Shields with a jawbreaker on the floor. Capone lays Shield on a ladder, but is stopped by Rockwell and that allows Shields to hit a t-bone suplex sending Capone onto the ladder on the floor! Rockwell slaps Envy on the middle rope looking for a cutter, but Envy hits a Ferris wheel off the middle rope through a table. Shields gets hit with a chair and Capone leaps off the tron to elbow drop Shields through a table! Envy hammers away on Rockwell as they are on the ladder. Rockwell has Envy and hits a piledriver off the ladder through a table! Mike Lewis gets beat up by PVO. Peter Van Orton is his name, which I didn’t know. Capone kicks Rockwell in the face and grabs the belts after leap frogging him to win the match. (****. Well, that was a lot of fun and had some great spots. The finish felt a little abrupt, but overall that was a lot of fun and easily the best thing on the show to this point. It will be incredibly difficult to top this.)
ACE Owner Mike Morgan comes out and has two belts in hand. Morgan gets cheap pop for putting over the ladder match. Morgan hands them new brand new tag team championships.
Backstage, ACE Diamond Division Champion Bruno Marciano is interviewed regarding his upcoming match with Rob Vegas. Bruno knows that tonight is the biggest show of the year. Bruno knows that Vegas has the owner on his side, but numbers don’t scare him. Bruno is going to hit him with the four and the five.
Eighth Contest: ACE Diamond Division Champion Bruno Marciano vs. Rob Vegas: They start off with some wrestling on the mat and they have a standoff. Vegas dumps Bruno to the apron and delivers a knee strike. Bruno rams Vegas into the top turnbuckle from the apron to gain control. Bruno dropkicks Vegas and the challenger bails to the floor. Bruno misses a baseball slide and Vegas gets in the ring to standoff. Vegas stomps on Bruno for the advantage. Vegas dumps Bruno to the apron and attempts a slingshot powerbomb, but Bruno fights off. Bruno comes off the apron with a somersault dive to the floor. Bruno nearly gets a three count in the ring. Vegas reaches the ropes to break an arm submission attempt. Bruno tries for a few cover attempts but can’t keep him down. Vegas nearly wins following a forearm shot as Bruno came off the ropes. Vegas hits a leg lariat and taunts the crowd. Vegas sends Bruno hard back first into the corner and keeps control with stomps to the head and back. Vegas drives Bruno down to the mat with a backbreaker for another two count. They trade a couple of rollup attempts. Vegas dropkicks a seated Bruno before heading to the top rope. Vegas comes off the top rope but misses a splash and Bruno delivers a running boot to knock the challenger down.
Bruno and Vegas trade shots in the middle of the ring. Bruno drops Vegas with a few uppercuts. Bruno kicks Vegas a few times in the corner but gets backdropped to the apron. Bruno kicks Vegas from the apron and goes to the top rope. Bruno hits a top rope dropkick. Bruno hits a running forearm in the corner but Vegas elbows out of a hold. Bruno hits a northern lights suplex for a two count. Bruno hits Vegas with a German suplex for a two count. Vegas comes back with a German suplex but Bruno kicks out. Bruno hammers away on Vegas and hits a German suplex for another two count. Vegas plants Bruno with a snap powerslam for a two count. They trade more strikes and they both attempt their finishers but neither man can hit it. Vegas powerbombs Bruno for a two count. Vegas locks in the Checkmate Texas Cloverleaf. Bruno manages to reach the bottom rope to break the hold. Vegas gets stopped on the middle rope. Bruno gets shoved off the middle rope but Bruno hits an overhead belly to belly suplex off the top rope. Vegas gets the title from his manager and decks Bruno with it. Vegas has the cover and wins the title. (**1/2. I thought it was a decent title match, but it was destined to fail considering the TLC match that they are following. I was more impressed with Vegas than I was Bruno and found myself happy to see Vegas win the title.)
Backstage, Mo Sexton is interviewed regarding his upcoming title match. Sexton says that his plate has been full for the last several weeks. Sexton is dressed up just like Dan Maff does all the time. Sexton is here to pay his respects to Johnny Thunder to put him in the HOF. Sexton thinks that Maff only thinks about himself. Sexton knows that big, huge things will be happening tonight. He says that Maff has no idea what is going to happen tonight to him. Tonight, he will make his mark by becoming the only three-time ACE Heavyweight Champion. Nobody will take that away from him and Maff will be left laying as he walks out as a three time champion. Needless to say, Sexton rambled a bit there.
So, the main focus of the main event is that Mike Morgan, the owner of ACE, turned on Mo Sexton and this is the rematch since Sexton lost the title that night.
Main Event: ACE Heavyweight Champion Dan Maff vs. Mo Sexton in an 30-minute Ironman match: Sexton tries for a superkick early into the match, but Maff rolls to the floor. Maff proceeds to stall on the floor because he doesn’t need to beat Sexton to win the title. We’re four minutes into the match and very little of anything has happened. Sexton comes off the ropes after ducking a clothesline and shoulder blocks Maff to the floor. The crowd is behind Sexton as Maff continues to stall in the corner. Maff knee lifts Sexton and delivers a jab in the corner a few times. Sexton fights back with jabs and right hands to stagger Maff and knocks the champion over the top to the floor. Maff shoulder blocks Sexton and runs the ropes before being met with a dropkick and rolls to the outside. That’s been ten minutes of action, folks.
Maff works over Sexton’s lower back in the corner with shoulder rams and keeps Sexton on the mat digging his boot into Mo’s face. Mike Morgan chokes Sexton while the referee was distracted. Maff continues to beat on Sexton with knee drops. Maff knocks Sexton off the apron with a running strike and Sexton crashes into the crowd. Maff sends Sexton face first into the wall and runs back into the ring hoping to get a count-out. Sexton staggers to his feet and is able to get back in the ring after the slowest count to ten I’ve ever seen. Maff sends Sexton chest first into the middle turnbuckle and kicks Sexton to the floor. Sexton gets back in the ring. We’re halfway through with the match.
Maff continues to beat on Sexton with strikes in the corner. Sexton is sent hard back first into the corner and crashes to the mat. Maff sends Sexton ribs first into the ring post and will settle for a count-out. Sexton struggles to his feet and gets back in at the count of nine. Maff tries to pin Sexton but can’t get a three count. He did waste nine seconds before attempting a pin. Maff misses a spear and hits the post shoulder first. Maff crashes to the floor holding his shoulder in pain. Maff is able to get back into the ring before the count of ten, as well. They begin to trade right hands in the middle of the ring. Sexton takes Maff over with a German suplex for a two count. Sexton locks in a Crossface and has him away from the ropes. Maff is able to reach the bottom rope to break the hold. Maff stops Sexton with a low blow to send Sexton to the corner. Maff sits Sexton on the top turnbuckle and delivers a forearm strike to the back. Sexton is trapped in the tree of woe. Maff hits a running cannonball and spikes Sexton with the Burning Hammer! Maff goes for the cover but Sexton kicks out! We are 21-minutes into the match.
Sexton ducks a clothesline and superkicks Maff twice. Sexton slides to the floor and superkicks Maff in the ring. Sexton heads to the top rope hitting a frog splash! Sexton heads to the top agsain and hits another frog splash to earn a pin! Sexton: 1 – Maff: 0. There is only 7:30 left in the match.
Sexton heads to the top rope again but misses a frog splash and rolls through. Maff blocks a superkick and tries for the Burning Hammer, but Sexton lands on his feet to deliver another superkick. Sexton tries for a frog splash, but Maff gets his feet up. Maff hits the Burning Hammer and gets a three count. Sexton: 1 – Maff: 1. There is 6:30 left in the match.
Maff puts Sexton on the top turnbuckle and goes for another Burning Hammer but Sexton reaches the ropes and superkicks Maff from the apron. Sexton heads to the top rope and misses another frog splash attempt. Maff hits a DDT, but Sexton gets a rollup on a roll through for a two count. Sexton tries for a Boston Crab, but Maff counters with a choke hold. Maff is able to hold on and Sexton passes out. Sexton: 1 – Maff: 2. There is only 4:00 left in the match.
Sexton pulls himself into the ring and shaves a minute off the match. Maff goes for a cocky cover, but Sexton kicks out at two. Sexton superkicks Maff and hits the Burning Hammer! Sexton goes for the cover and gets a three count. Sexton: 2 – Maff: 2. Sexton goes for another cover, but Maff kicks out. There’s only forty seconds left as Sexton locks in a choke hold. Maff has his arm drop twice, but Mike Morgan gets on the apron and distracts the referee allowing for the time to expire and the match ends in a draw.
Morgan says that they are done and there will not be any extra time. Wait, Morgan says they can continue but it will be no disqualification. Rob Vegas enters and whacks Sexton with a chair! Maff Is put on top and Sexton kicks out at two! Maff gets a steel chair from Morgan but Sexton superkicks the chair into Maff’s face! Rob Vegas gets in the ring and misses a chair shot. Sexton superkicks Vegas! Morgan gets in the ring and he gets superkicked! Sexton heads to the top rope and frog splashes Maff, but Maff gets the choke hold on Sexton! Sexton’s arm falls three times and Maff wins the match. Maff: 3 – Sexton: 2. (***. I’d say the first half of the match was mostly just stalling and killing for time so they could stay fresh and provide an entertaining final half. Considering the title change had just occurred, I can understand why Maff retained the title here. However, all the crap that was going on seemed like it was going to Sexton’s match to win and the crowd was onboard for it. Maff winning cleanly in the manner he did was a refreshing result. I’d almost rather there not been an Iron Man stipulation because the last half was enjoyable and the rating would’ve been higher if not for the stalling early on.)
Final Thoughts:
I’d consider this an overall really good show that featured some good action and a great TLC match. The main event had some quality, as long as you watch the final 15-18 minutes of it. The opener set the stage for the rest of the show, I’d say. I was left satisfied with this show at the end.
Thanks for reading.