Written by: Bob Colling
AAW presents Point Of No Return
Date: 6/21/2008
From: Berwyn, IL
AAW Heritage Champion Jimmy Jacobs says he’s left no doubt as to what he’ll do to retain the championship. We also see a clip of Rasche Brown and Keith Walker brawling in a parking lot. Josh Abercrombie and North Star Express winning matches in cheap manner. Abercrombie ramming Silas Young’s face onto a ring bell. JJ Ink is the top of AAW and that will not change in 2008. This was a hype video style of opening.
Opening Contest: Egotistico Fantastico vs. Hunter Matthews: Matthews is wearing gear similar to Jerry Lawler would wear in the 1980s. Fantastico connects with a dropkick and chops in the corner. Fantastico hits a Sling Blade before going to the top rope and hits a frog splash. Fantastico hits the Ego Driver for the quick win. (1/2*. Basically just a squash to open the show.)
Second Contest: AAW Heavyweight Champion Jerry Lynn vs. Eric Priest: Priest controls Lynn early on with an arm drag. They trade some mat wrestling with Priest getting the advantage. Lynn tries for a figure four, but Priest nearly wins with an inside cradle. Priest gets out of a headlock and keeps arm control on the mat. Lynn eye rakes Priest and ends up dropkicking Priest over the middle rope. Lynn hits a backstabber off the middle rope. Lynn wraps Priest’s leg around the ring post. Lynn connects with a springboard dropkick to take Priest off the apron to the floor. Priest sends Lynn into the railing and runs into a boot. Priest crotches Lynn over the railing. Lynn misses a leg drop on the apron but pulls Priest down and yanks Priest’s knee over the apron. Priest nearly wins with a quick rollup. Priest gets a two count with a backslide. Lynn takes Priest down with a dragon screw leg whip. Priest sends Lynn through the ropes to the floor, but Lynn quickly returns and kicks Priest on the knee a few times. Priest staggers Lynn with a kick to the shoulder of Lynn. Priest clotheslines Lynn followed by a shoulder block. Lynn dropkicks Priest on the knee and nearly wins with an inside cradle.
Priest stops Lynn with a big boot for a two count. Lynn dropkicks Priest on the knee to counter spinning slam. Priest kicks Lynn into the corner and Lynn climbs to the top, but Priest stops Lynn. Lynn plants Priest with a sunset flip powerbomb for a near fall. Priest counters a piledriver and hits the F-69 but Chandler McClure pulls the referee out. Jordan McIntyre gets decked and tossed to the floor. McClure chop blocks Priest’s injured knee and Lynn finishes Priest off with a cradle piledriver to retain the title. (*1/2. The action felt a little clunky. They told a story focusing on the injured knee, but it didn’t lead to an overly exciting match by any means. I was left feeling like Priest isn’t the ideal fit for these kinds of spots on the card.)
Backstage, Silas Young is interviewed and says that Josh Abercrombie took the easy way last month. Young says that title shots come his way all the time. Silas doesn’t understand why Abercrombie why would want to act like his friend only to screw him over. Next month they will be meeting in a rematch and Young is going to kick his ass.
Third Contest: Ryan Boz vs. Krotch: Boz misses a running boot in the corner and misses a clothesline. Boz horribly mistimes a clothesline spot in the corner. Krotch hammers away on Boz in the corner. Krotch hits a tornado DDT out of the corner. Krotch dropkicks Boz to the floor and leaps off the top to hit a crossbody. Krotch chops Boz on the floor and messes up a slingshot spinning elbow drop into the ring. Krotch punches Boz, but has no impact. Boz tosses Krotch into the corner and follows up with a splash. Boz gets slapped by a woman on the apron. Boz knee lifts Krotch and tosses Krotch by his hair across the ring. Krotch counters a press slam with a rollup for a two count. Krotch hits a hurricanrana and avoids a splash in the corner. Krotch comes off the top to deliver a dropkick. Krotch stops Boz with a jawbreaker. Arik Cannon punches Krotch on the floor. Boz connects with a sit down scoop slam to win the match. (1/2*. A little clunky and clearly continuing the issues between Krotch and Cannon.)
Backstage, Chandler McClure cuts a promo about crushing dreams and that’s what he did to /Eric Priest tonight. Dan Lawrence says that McClure and McIntyre are fudge backers and agrees to get a tag partner.
Fourth Contest: The Phoenix Twins (Dash & Tweek) vs. Danny Daniels & Trik Davis in a number one contenders match: Tweek and Davis start off the match. Tweek yanks Davis down by his hair and keeps arm control on the mat. Davis is clotheslined by both Twins. Daniels gets tagged in and keeps control with a forearm. Tweek ducks a clothesline and Dash clotheslines both men. Daniels is met with a double headbutt and kicks out at two. Dash heads to the top, but Davis stops Dash until he’s kicked off the apron. Tweek hits a snap suplex on Daniels for a two count. Davis misses a crossbody and hits Daniels on accident. Tweek dropkicks Daniels to the floor and is cutoff by Davis. Davis is forearmed off the apron by Dash. Dash takes Davis and Daniels out with a somersault dive to the floor. Daniels is met with forearms and a lariat by Tweek for a two count. Hart Attack on Tweek to regain control of the contest. Daniels slams Tweek to the mat by his feet. Tweek forearms Daniels from the apron and Daniels hits a shoulder ram to send Tweek to the floor. Daniels drives Tweek into the railing back first.
Davis slams Tweek followed by a sit down splash. Davis accidentally knee strikes Daniels in the corner and Tweek hits a neckbreaker on Daniels for a two count. Davis hits a sunset flip powerbomb on Tweek. Dash backdrops Daniels to counter a piledriver. Daniels with a backbreaker and Davis superkicks Dash for a two count. Daniels gets sent to the floor and taken out by a baseball slide. Tweek spikes Davis with a brainbuster for a two count. Tweek locks in a Crossface, but Daniels tosses Dash onto both men. Dash atomic drops Davis off the middle rope. Tweek kicks Daniels off the apron and Davis is met with a double superkick leading to the three count. (**1/2. That was a solid match with the Phoenix Twins displaying some good skills. They worked a good style and it held my interest throughout.)
Fifth Contest: Silas Young & Dan Lawrence vs. Chandler McClure & Jordan McIntyre: Young and McIntyre start the match with Young controlling Jordan on the mat. Jordan knee lifts his way free, but Young gets back in control with a headlock. Young hits a standing moonsault for a two count as Jordan bails to the floor to regroup. McClure enters the ring and wants a piece of Lawrence. McClure shoves Lawrence, who responds with a shove of his own. McClure slaps Lawrence and is met with a chop. Lawrence dropkicks a seated McClure and continues with forearm strikes in the corner. McClure misses a strike in the corner and Lawrence monkey flips McClure out of the corner. McClure and Jordan are sent into each other. Young and Lawrence stand on both men and nearly win with inside cradles. McClure backdrops Lawrence to gain some momentum. McClure sends Lawrence shoulder first into the corner and continues with a backbreaker. McClure dropkicks Lawrence from the apron and McIntyre enters to keep control of the match. McIntyre keeps a sleeper hold on Lawrence until a jawbreaker breaks the hold.
McClure enters the match and elbow drops Lawrence. McClure had a Torture Rack on Lawrence, but Eric Priest comes out and chases McClure backstage. Young decks McIntyre with a few clotheslines followed by a rolling fireman’s carry. Young hits the Zero Gravity moonsault to win the match. (*1/4. There didn’t seem to be a whole lot of heat to this as the action was rather uninspiring. The finish was expected considering what happened earlier with Priest and since McIntyre has been a job guy, there was no shock he’d eat the pin.)
Eric Priest returns to the ring and notes that he has said he’d be the AAW Heavyweight Champion. Priest says that tonight was a defining moment for his career that he’d walkaway if he didn’t win the championship. Priest says he should have finished what he started with McClure. Priest says he has one match left in him and he’s going to end McClure’s career. Priest wants his final match to be with McClure. Priest says that McClure is going to wish he never heard the name Eric Priest. Priest wants an answer from McClure. McClure slowly comes out and grabs the microphone from the apron. McClure says it’s fine that Priest wants to end his career with him. McClure makes the challenge a Last Man Standing match. Priest accepts the challenge.
Backstage, Marek Brave considers his match with Tyler Black to be a new beginning instead of the final confrontation. Brave will not rest until he has the barbed wire and sees Black’s torn flesh on the mat. Brave says that Black’s star is not rising anymore. Brave will be waiting in hell for Black’s star. Brave will grind the star to dust. Brave notes that Black has never beaten him and that will not change tonight. Brave believes he will always be better than Tyler Black.
Sixth Contest: Keith Walker vs. Rasche Brown: Brown storms the ring and trades right hands with Walker in the middle of the ring. Brown staggers Walker and misses a clothesline. Walker comes off the ropes to hit a shoulder block. Walker takes Brown over with a snap suplex, but Brown isn’t hurt by that. Brown slaps Walker and hits a snap suplex of his own. Brown clotheslines Walker over the top to the floor. They continue to trade strikes on the floor with Brown getting the advantage. Dave Prazak tries to get involved and quickly backs off allowing Walker to deck Brown from behind and Brown hits the ring steps. Brown continues to beat on Walker in the corner, but Walker turns the tables and delivers a forearm strike in the corner. Brown nails Walker with a running boot to the face. Brown hits a handspring splash for a two count. They continue to trade strikes in the middle of the ring. Walker knocks down the referee. They continue to trade strikes until Brown sends the referee to the floor. After the match, trainees run out from the backstage area to keep them apart. Walker breaks free to splash Brown in the corner. Brown also breaks free and they brawl a bit more. Walker bails to the floor and heads backstage. (1/2*. I was looking forward to do big dudes beating the crap out of each other and it didn’t deliver the goods. I’m assuming this is leading to another match with a stipulation.)
Backstage, Tyler Black cuts a promo. Black recalls a no holds barred match and no rope barbed wire match with Brave, which he lost both matches. Black wonders what will make tonight different. Black understands the odds are stacked against him, but he’s use to that. Black has had to fight for what he’s earned. Black tells Brave that he’s not going to let him walk all over him and be victorious. Black promises to fight until his last breath.
Terry Funk makes his way out to the ring for a segment. Funk says that ECW started out just like AAW and puts over the great wrestlers in AAW. Funk says they are better than the guys in WWE. Funk puts them over for giving the fans their money’s worth. Funk gets cut off by AAW Heritage Champion Jimmy Jacobs. Jacobs reminds Funk who he is and claims he’s the best wrestler going right now. Jacobs says he’s not going to take Funk out of wrestling. Jacobs says that Funk is responsible for taking himself out of wrestling. Jacobs considers Fink to be a bitch. Funk slaps Jacobs and tells Jacobs that he just got bitch slapped. Ryan Boz enters the ring and Funk has left the ring. Jacobs is pissed off that Funk got the better of him and left the ring.
Seventh Contest: Josh Abercrombie vs. Zach Gowen: Gowen hits a missile dropkick to start off the contest. Gowen continues with an elbow strike and another dropkick to send Abercrombie to the floor. Abercrombie gets control with a clothesline followed by a knee drop and knee strike to the back. Abercrombie keeps a chin lock on Gowen and delivers a few strikes. Abercrombie plants Gowen with a back suplex and a clothesline to a seated Gowen for a two count. Gowen breaks free with a jawbreaker. Abercrombie superkicks Gowen and delivers a DDT for a two count. Abercrombie misses a strike in the corner, but tries for a middle rope Codebreaker only to miss it. Abercrombie runs into a boot by Gowen. Gowen misses a top rope moonsault. Gowen is holding his knee in pain and Abercrombie stomps on Gowen’s leg. Gowen is forced to submit as Abercrombie continues to strike the knee. (1/2*. This was largely just done to get Abercrombie’s new persona over with the crowd and get his mean streak over. I’m digging the new look.)
Outside, Truth Martini cuts a promo saying he broke his neck two months ago. Martini says this is no longer a Michigan Invasion. The House of Truth will be a global invasion. There are three sides to every story. The HOT will be coming soon to AAW.
Prior to the next match, the Phoenix Twins cut into the celebration of the North Star Express. Phoenix Twins remind them that they won a title shot any time they want. They want their title shot right now and they attack. Corbin and Cruz low blow the Twins from behind and beat down the challengers. Eastman whips the Twins with a belt while insulting them on a microphone. Eastman uses the metal part of the belt into Dash’s eye. Adrenaline Overdose runs out to the make the save. Dash is saying that he can’t see.
Eighth Contest: AAW Tag Team Champions North Star Express (Darin Corbin & Ryan Cruz) vs. Adrenaline Overdose (Bryce Benjamin & Shane Hollister): Overdose take the champs out with a dive to the floor! Hollister gets a backslide for a two count on Cruz. Cruz misses a kick and gets tripped to the mat. Hollister gets a leg lock on Cruz, but doesn’t get a submission. Cruz is tied up on the mat after Hollister lets go. Cruz shoves Hollister and delivers a few strikes to the back. Hollister forearms Cruz coming off the ropes. Hollister gets an abdominal stretch on Cruz. Cruz elbows his way free and is met with a spinning heel kick by Hollister for a near fall. Benjamin tags in delivers a leg drop after a slam for a two count. Hollister returns to the match delivering forearm strikes. Cruz dumps Hollister to the apron and Corbin leg sweeps Hollister face first onto the apron. Corbin stomps on Hollister outside the ring. Corbin legally enters works on Hollister with strikes and a knee drop.
Corbin keeps a chin lock on Hollister to maintain control. Cruz returns to the match and slaps Benjamin on the apron and chokes Hollister on the mat. Corbin enters while the referee is distracted and Benjamin continues to be taunted. Corbin drives Hollister down with a backbreaker. Hollister is sent chest first into the corner. Hollister blocks a splash by Cruz managing to get his knees up. Hollister backdrops Cruz and plants Corbin with a Flatliner. Benjamin gets the hot tag and heel kicks Cruz. Cruz misses a splash in the corner and Benjamin delivers several running strikes in the corner. Hollister kicks Corbin in the midsection. Hollister kicks Corbin over the middle rope. Cruz stops Benjamin on the top rope. Hollister tries for a springboard, but Corbin his an ace crusher. Benjamin frog splashes Corbin. Cruz drops Benjamin on his head and all four men are down. Benjamin and Corbin trade rights while Hollister does the same with Cruz. Corbin has Benjamin on his shoulders and Cruz hits a leg drop after a rolling fireman carry slam. Cruz covers Benjamin for a two count. The champs try for Cruz Control, but Hollister prevents it. Benjamin moves out of the way. Benjamin hits the OD on Corbin and gets the three count! We have new champions! (***. A quality match between these two teams. The decision is a bit bizarre considering the segment before the match. It would have appeared that the heat was for a Phoenix Twins title match, but the decision could have been a way to throw a curve to the fans. Perhaps the feud doesn’t need the titles and putting the belts on a solid tag team is better long-term.)
Backstage, Keith Walker is pissed about what happened earlier. Walker says it’s not over with Rasche Brown. Dave Prazak says that Walker had Brown beaten tonight. Walker is going to finish it very soon with Brown.
Ninth Contest: AAW Heritage Champion Jimmy Jacobs vs. Arik Cannon vs. Krotch in an elimination match: Krotch slides into the ring and hammers away on Cannon causing Cannon to bail to the floor. Cannon and Jacobs attack Krotch as he’s been added to the match. Krotch continues to be worked over by both Cannon and Jacobs. Cannon clotheslines Krotch as Jacobs sends Krotch into him. Jacobs headbutts Krotch in the midsection and Cannon continues with a knee drop. Cannon and Jacobs toss Krotch across the ring. Jacobs holds Krotch to allow Cannon to get a few shots in. Jacobs gets a few shots in on Krotch, too. Krotch nearly pins Jacobs with a sunset flip. Jacobs hits Cannon and goes back to work on Krotch. Jacobs runs into a boot in the corner. Krotch fires back with right hands. Krotch hammers away on both opponents. Krotch head scissors Cannon out of the corner and forearms Jacobs. Jacobs sends Krotch into the middle turnbuckle face first. Jacobs gets a chain tossed to him and decks Krotch. Terry Funk comes out and punches Ryan Boz on the floor. Funk enters the ring and jabs Jacobs several times. Funk plants Jacobs with a DDT! Krotch has a cover on Jacobs and manages to eliminate Jacobs!
Nikki low blows Cannon from behind. Nikki hits a tornado DDT on Cannon. Krotch with a tilt a whirl DDT and nearly wins the match. Joey Eastman trips Krotch and Cannon slaps Nikki to the mat. Krotch is pissed about that and manages to hit a neckbreaker on Cannon. Krotch runs into a clothesline by Cannon. Cannon spikes Krotch with a brainbuster for a two count. Cannon goes for an Alabama Slam, but Krotch counters with a Destroyer! Krotch has a rollup and pins Cannon to win the title. (**1/2. The Funk involvement was fine and made sense considering what we saw earlier. The crowd seemed to enjoy the contest and the decision to put the title on Krotch. It was better than I was expecting, too.)
Main Event: Tyler Black vs. Marek Brave in a Stairway To Hell match: They both go for ladders as soon as the bell sounds and they have a standoff in the middle of the ring. Black manages to back Brave into the corner and dropkicks both ladders into Brave. Black rams the ladder into Brave’s midsection and over the back. Black tries to jab Brave with the ladder, but misses. Black pummels Brave with right hands. Black sends Brave back first into the ladder in the corner. Black scoop slams Brave onto the ladder. Black continues with a senton splash onto Brave. Black climbs the ladder, but Brave pushes the ladder over and Black lands on the top rope throat first. Brave tries to climb, but Black drops Brave face first over the top turnbuckle. Black tosses steel chairs into the ring. Black continues to pummel Brave by the ring post. Black nails Brave with a running boot to the face over the apron. Black sets a chair up in the middle of the ring. Brave tries to ram Black into the chair, but Black counters with a drop toe hold to send Brave into the chair face first. Black sets the ladder up and goes to grab the barbed wire, but Brave hits Black with a trash can a couple of times to stop Black’s momentum.
Black crashes to the floor to regroup from the attack. Brave begins to climb the ladder once again, but Black stops Brave once again. Brave sends Black face first into the ladder leading to a two count. Brave rams Black’s face into a ladder and places Black between the ladder. Brave hits a double stomp onto the ladder! Brave rams the ladder into Black’s midsection and delivers a few chair shots to Black’s head. Brave tries for a cover managing a two count. Brave chokes Black with his shirt. Brave continues to work over Black with a chair. Brave rams Black into the corner face first and hits a suplex onto the chair for a two count. Black gets dropped by a knee strike. Brave goes under the ring to grab a barbed wire chair. Black baseball slides Brave and hits a slingshot crossbody to the floor. Black misses a chair shot with the barbed wire. Black gets in the ring and climbs the ladder to grab the barbed wire!
Brave returns to the ring with the barbed wire chair. Black nails Brave with the barbed wire a couple of times. Black has the chair waiting for Brave to get up. Brave avoids a chair shot and is bleeding at this point. Black sends Brave into the barbed wire chair in the corner and has his hair caught in the barbed wire. Black has barbed wire on the ladder and drives the wire into Brave’s head a couple of times. Black powerbombs Brave onto barbed wire ladder in the corner. Black big boots the barbed wire chair into Brave’s face. Black heads to the top rope and puts the barbed wire chair over Brave’s body. Black climbs the ladder and misses a frog splash landing on the barbed wire chair instead. Black is in pain holding his left leg. Brave uses the barbed wire chair hitting Black over the back. Brave tries to send Black into the ladder, but slams Black onto the barbed wire chair for a two count. Brave nails Black on the knee with the ladder.
Brave takes Black off the top and Black lands gut first onto the barbed wire chair! Brave climbs the ladder again, but is stopped by Black. Black crotches Brave on the ladder and delivers a chair shot. Black puts the barbed wire chair over Brave’s face. Black hits a springboard dropkick to drive the chair into Brave’s face. Black hammers away on Brave to maintain control of the contest. Brave is not defending himself as Black delivers right hands. Black pulls Brave up the ladder and they are at the top. Brave hits a sunset flip off driving Black through a ladder in the corner. Black blocks a superkick and kicks Brave. Brave gets up and nails Black with a superkick for a two count. Brave chops Black to the mat but gets stopped by a right hand on the top rope. Black hooks Brave and hits Unabomber. The referee is saying that Brave is knocked down. Brave’s head is on a chair and Black uses the barbed wire chair to smash Brave’s head. Black covers and wins the match after nearly 30-minutes. (***1/4. It’s a good match and worked to the stipulation fairly well. I was a little bummed that they used barbed wire before getting to the barbed wire at the top of the ladder. Introducing barbed wire outside of the main objective kind of defeats the purpose of what you’re trying to accomplish. These guys were going for pins before even getting the barbed wire, too. It’s Tyler’s first and only win over Brave and allows him to elevate up the card yet again. This appears to be Brave’s final main event spot run for AAW.)
Tyler Black says that next month he’ll be getting a shot at AAW Heavyweight Champion Jerry Lynn to bring the gold back to where it belongs. Lynn comes out and says he wants Black at 100%. Lynn doesn’t want there to be a mistake over who the champion is. Lynn tells Black to be careful for what he wishes for. Black asks if Lynn can prove he’s the champion he use to be in three weeks time.
Final Thoughts:
The final three matches helped turn this into a a middle of the road kind of show. It really helped that the matches didn’t over stay their welcome with the majority of the matches staying around ten minutes or less outside of the main event/title matches. I’ll consider this an average show at best and it’s not necessary viewing. I am interested in seeing how Lynn/Black goes next show.
Thanks for reading.