NEW March Mayhem 2011 3/26/2011

Written by: Bob Colling

Northeast Wrestling presents March Mayhem 2011
Date: 3/26/2011
From: Torrington, CT

Opening Contest: Hale Collins vs. Ron Zombie vs. Tommy Dreamer vs Ryan McBride in a tables match: Dreamer goes after Zombie while McBride goes after Collins. Zombie gets knocked to the floor and brawls with Dreamer around ringside. McBride monkey flips Collins out of the corner. Collins plants McBride with a modified Fame-Asser. Zombie rams McBride groin first into the ring post. McBride dropkicks Zombie after avoiding a clothesline. Zombie sends McBride into the corner chest first and hits a neckbreaker. Dreamer jabs Zombie a few times and comes off the ropes to hit a bulldog. Dreamer dumps Zombie through the ropes to the floor. Collins nails Dreamer with a missile dropkick. Dreamer low blows Collins in the corner and puts a figure four on Collins. Zombie leg drops Dreamer and puts a cross arm breaker on Dreamer. McBride puts a sleeper hold on Zombie before stomping on Collins. McBride continues with a leg drop to Collins. McBride has a table on the apron and all three men dropkick the table into his face. Collins slams Zombie to the mat and goes to the top, but Dreamer crotches Collins. Dreamer puts Collins in the tree of woe and puts a chair in front of Collins face. Dreamer tries for a baseball slide, but Zombie clotheslines Dreamer.

Zombie dropkicks the chair into Collins face. McBride takes Dreamer over with a snap suplex. McBride stands on Collins groin in the corner. McBride dropkicks Collins while in a tree of woe. McBride heads to the top rope but Collins crotches McBride. Zombie hits a Tower Of Doom, which takes out Dreamer, too. Collins kicks McBride on the apron. Collins kicks McBride several times on the apron. Collins sits McBride on the top turnbuckle, but gets stopped. McBride lays Collins onto the table on the floor. McBride goes to the top rope and leaps off splashing Collins through the table, and Collins is eliminated.

Dreamer misses a spear in the corner hitting the ring post. Zombie takes McBride over with a snap suplex from the apron into the ring. Dreamer leg drops Zombie in the groin area. Dreamer clotheslines Zombie over the top to the floor. Dreamer spikes McBride with a piledriver. Zombie crotches Dreamer over the railing groin first. McBride kicks Zombie a few times in the ribs. McBride charges the corner but Zombie puts McBride through the table with a spear. McBride has been eliminated.

Dreamer tries to ram Zombie into the chair, but Zombie counters. Zombie drop toe holds Dreamer face first into the chair. Dreamer tries for the Death Valley Driver and manages to put Zombie through the table in the corner. (**. This kind of went the way you’d expect it to go. There wasn’t a lot of substance to it as they just went with table spots to fill the time. There should be no surprise that Dreamer went over. The crowd seemed to enjoy it and seemed to be a good way to get the crowd excited for the remainder of the show.)

Second Contest: Bull Dredd vs. Cedric Alexander: Dredd attacks Alexander before the bell with a knee strike in the corner. Dredd chokes Alexander with his shirt in the corner. Alexander ducks a clothesline and hits a handspring heel kick to send Dredd to the floor. Alexander hits a quick suicide dive to take Dredd out on the floor. Alexander goes to the top rope and leaps off hitting a clothesline for a two count. Alexander hammers away on Dredd in the corner, but Dredd low blows Alexander and hits a sit down buster. Dredd chokes Alexander over the bottom rope. Dredd plants Alexander with a slam for a near fall. Alexander ducks a clothesline to deliver a kick for a two count. Alexander runs into a clothesline by Dredd for a two count. Alexander drops Dredd with another kick to the head. Alexander misses a split legged moonsault. Dredd plants Alexander with a Flatliner to win the match. (*1/2. I mean, it’s incredibly annoying that they’d have Alexander lose to this guy. It was mostly a sprint and it wasn’t too bad, really. However, I can’t get over the poor decision to put Dredd over here.)

Third Contest: Caleb Konley & Jake Manning vs. Jeff Starr & Sgt. Slaughter: Manning and Starr kickoff the tag match with Starr getting the crowd to chant for USA, which would apply to everyone in the match. Starr takes Manning over with an arm drag and hip toss. Konley tags in, but Starr rams Manning into Konley’s boot in the corner. Starr drop toe holds Konley into Manning’s groin. Slaughter tags in and tries his luck with Konley. Konley strikes Slaughter in the corner, but Slaughter isn’t bothered by it. Konley backs Slaughter into the corner and delivers another strike that doesn’t bother Slaughter, again. Slaughter strikes Konley in the corner and you’d think that Konley was dying. Slaughter tosses Konley off the top rope to the mat. Slaughter keeps a wrist lock on Konley for a few moments until Konley gets to the ropes. Slaughter wiggles the middle rope to low blow Konley. Manning gets the tag to try his luck against Slaughter. Manning tries to shoulder block Slaughter, but fails twice. Slaughter decks Manning with a clothesline. Slaughter puts the cobra clutch on Manning, but Manning reaches the ropes to break the hold.

Konley tags in and Starr is tagged back in to deliver a middle rope axe handle. Starr drives Konley to the mat a few times followed by a leg drop to the arm. Slaughter tags in and keeps working over Konley. Konley gets a few strikes on Slaughter and tags in Manning. Manning keeps working over Slaughter. Kurt Adonis chokes Slaughter over the middle rope. Manning continues to stomp on Slaughter and chokes Slaughter to keep control of the match. Slaughter tries to fight back, but Manning puts a sleeper on Slaughter. Manning keeps the sleeper on for a few moments, but Slaughter isn’t going to stay down. Slaughter gets out and puts the Cobra Clutch on Manning. Adonis gets on the apron allowing Konley to deck Slaughter to break the hold. Starr gets the hot tag and cleans house with a backdrop and a spinning heel kick. Starr superkicks Konley and decks Adonis off the apron. Starr and Slaughter put stereo Cobra Clutch holds on and win the match by double submission. (*1/4. There was no surprise with how this went. It’s the usual “make the legend look good at the expense of younger talent” and it’s a feel good moment for the crowd to cheer someone they grew up watching. Action wise, it wasn’t very good at all and shouldn’t have been this long.) After the match, Kurt Adonis gets two Cobra Clutches for his trouble.

Fourth Contest: Tommaso Ciampa vs. Brian Anthony: Anthony works over Ciampa to start off with right hands. Ciampa dropkicks Anthony to send him to the floor. Ciampa drop toe holds Anthony and keeps control with a leg lock. Ciampa bridges backwards for a brief chin lock. Ciampa gets a sunset flip for a two count and locks in a submission, but Anthony reaches the ropes. Anthony stomps on Ciampa in the ring to maintain control of the contest. Anthony staggers Ciampa with right hands but gets knocked to the floor. Anthony decks Ciampa on the floor and sends Ciampa into the ring post. Anthony works over Ciampa’s arm over the railing. Anthony delivers a few strikes in the corner and works over the arm some more. Anthony continues to jab Ciampa in the corner. Ciampa fires back with strikes and is sent back first into the corner. Anthony attempts to cover Ciampa managing a two count. Anthony keeps a sleeper on Ciampa, but Ciampa gets out only to walk into a spinebuster for a two count. Anthony delivers a knee drop for a two count. Anthony chokes Ciampa over the middle rope to maintain control of the contest.

Anthony delivers an arm breaker for a two count. Anthony keeps a nerve hold on Ciampa, but Ciampa fires back only to run into a big boot for a two count. Anthony goes to the floor and grabs a belt from his female manager. Anthony wraps the belt around his fist, but Ciampa blocks a strike. Ciampa runs the ropes and hits a neckbreaker for a two count. Ciampa dropkicks Anthony into the corner and exposes his knee to deliver a few running knee strikes in the corner managing a two count. Ciampa goes to the top rope but Anthony crotches him. Anthony hits a middle rope twisting slam for the three count. (**1/4. Well, this never really got past the first gear of intensity it felt like. I was not expecting a clean win for Anthony, but I think it’s a huge win for the guy. He’s been a major player for NEW over the years and this kind of win certainly helped get to that level.)

Fifth Contest: ROH World Champion Eddie Edwards vs. Adam Cole: Edwards backs Cole into the corner and backs away cleanly. Edwards keeps Cole on the mat, but they counter each other a few times. Edwards shoulder blocks Cole and plays to the crowd. Cole dropkicks Edwards followed by a few arm drags. Cole keeps arm control on the mat. Cole hits a crossbody and continues with an arm drag. Edwards chops Cole a few times in the corner. Edwards drops Cole with a forearm strike. Edwards chops Cole backing him into the corner. Cole boots Edwards in the corner and leaps off the middle rope to deliver a leg lariat. Cole continues to chop Edwards and delivers a few strikes in the corner. Edwards misses a clothesline and Cole hits a neckbreaker for a two count. Edwards and Cole begin to trade strikes with Cole getting the advantage in the corner delivering several chops. Edwards plants Cole with a back suplex slam for a two count. Edwards chokes Cole over the middle rope and taunts the crowd again. Edwards crotches Cole on the top turnbuckle and puts Cole in the tree of woe. Edwards goes to the floor and delivers a kick from the floor.

Edwards keeps a chin lock on Cole. Cole fights out of Edwards grasp, but runs into a dropkick. Edwards tries for the cover, but Cole kicks out. They trade forearm strikes with Cole eventually taking Edwards out with a suicide dive on the floor. Cole heads to the top rope managing to hit a crossbody for a near fall. Edwards tries for a powerbomb, but Cole counters with a hurricanrana for a two count. Cole kicks Edwards to avoid a full nelson. Cole drops Edwards over his knee for a two count. Edwards rams Cole into the corner and runs into a boot. Cole tries for a tornado DDT, but Edwards sits Cole on the top rope to hit a straight jacket stunner for a near fall. Edwards delivers a kick to the chest for a near fall. Edwards tries for a suplex, but Cole counters with an inside cradle for a two count. Edwards kicks Cole, but misses another kick. Cole hits a bridging wheelbarrow suplex for a two count. Cole climbs to the top rope but is met with a kick by Edwards. Cole shoves Edwards off the middle rope. Cole misses a top rope crossbody. Edwards is met with a forearm and decks Cole with a clothesline. Edwards plants Cole with a powerbomb and locks in the half Boston Crab to win the match. (***1/4. An enjoyable match as Cole did very well in this level of match. Cole had a few credible moments where he seemingly could have won the match, but realistically the title isn’t ever going to change hands. To me, this was a showcase for Cole to show that he certainly belongs in ROH during this period. Edwards gave him quite a bit and they ended up putting together a good match.)

Maria comes out before the next match to manage Matt Taven.

Sixth Contest: NEW Heavyweight Champion Matt Taven vs. Robbie E: Robbie attacks before the bell from behind to get the cheap advantage. Taven hip tosses and dropkicks Robbie. Taven clotheslines Robbie over the top to the floor. Taven tells Cookie to move out of the way. Robbie tries to punch Taven, but Taven blocks a strike on the floor. Taven continues to hammer away on Robbie around ringside. Robbie misses an elbow drop attempt. Taven hooks Robbie looking for a suplex to the floor, but Robbie counters and drops Taven throat first over the top rope. Robbie knocks Taven off the apron into the guard railing. Robbie hammers away on Taven around ringside. Robbie slams Taven and comes off the middle rope to deliver a forearm drop for a two count. Taven fights back with right hands but gets cutoff by a forearm shot. Robbie continues to beat on Taven in the corner with strikes. Cookie gets a cheap shot in from the floor while the referee is distracted. Robbie sends Taven hard into the corner. Robbie nearly wins following a side Russian leg sweep. Robbie keeps a headlock on Taven and dumps the champ to the floor.

Robbie continues to work over Taven with strikes before returning to the ring. Robbie taunts Maria for checking him out. Taven stops Robbie with a jawbreaker. Robbie misses a splash in the corner and Taven fights back with strikes of his own. Taven heel kicks Robbie followed by another spin kick for a near fall. Robbie knee strikes Taven, but Taven hits a rolling neckbreaker. Taven heads to the top rope, but is stopped by Robbie. They trade a few strikes on the ropes with Taven knocking Robbie to the mat. Taven misses a frog splash. Robbie tries for a neckbreaker, but Taven counters with a rollup. Cookie hits Taven with a loaded purse. Maria enters the ring and fights Cookie! Robbie grabs Maria and is slapped. Taven gets a rollup and pins Robbie to retain the title. (*1/2. That was a mostly disappointing match as it was mostly just a way for Maria to serve a purpose on the show and takeaway from the finish. I was hoping for at least an average wrestling match and they didn’t even get to that level.)

Main Event: Matt Hardy vs. Mike Bennett: Bennett starts off with an arm drag and does a few jumping jacks to taunt Hardy. Hardy gets a hammerlock on Bennett followed by a headlock. Bennett gets out of a hammerlock and does the same move before taunting Hardy. Hardy boots Bennett in the midsection and keeps Bennett on the mat with a headlock. Hardy shoulder blocks Bennett and maintains control with a headlock for a few moments. Bennett beats on Hardy with several right hands against the ropes. Hardy tosses Bennett into the corner and delivers several right hands. Hardy yanks Bennett out of the corner with a powerbomb for a two count. Hardy nails Bennett with a right hand and sends Bennett across the ring to deliver a clothesline and a running bulldog for a two count. Bennett stops Hardy with right hands, but a strike to the back stops Hardy. Hardy locks in a body scissors with a front face lock to drop Bennett to the mat. Bennett leans forward and nearly pins Hardy, but reaches the ropes. Hardy drops Bennett with a right hand in the corner again. Hardy elbows Bennett in the corner, but gets yanked off the middle rope to the canvas. Bennett stomps on Hardy and taunts the crowd.

Bennett sends Hardy back first across the ring to the corner. Bennett drives Hardy down with a vertical suplex. Bennett delivers a few knee strikes to the upper back and pulls back on Hardy’s arms. Hardy tries for a sunset flip, but Bennett walks towards the ropes. Bennett is close to the ropes, but Hardy gets him down for a two count. Bennett boots Hardy in the midsection followed by a strike to choke Hardy on the apron. Bennett pie faces Reby Sky and knocks her down on the floor. Hardy spears Bennett and pummels Bennett with right hands. Hardy runs into a back elbow strike. Hardy is choked over the middle rope and Bennett keeps control of the match. Bennett keeps a chin lock on Hardy to maintain control of the match. Hardy is sent back first into the corner and Bennett misses a splash. Bennett crashes to the mat in the corner trying to recover. Hardy and Bennett begin to trade strikes from a kneeling position. They get to their feet continuing to trade right hands. Hardy ducks a right hand attempt and clotheslines Bennett a few times. Hardy backdrops Bennett and plays to the crowd. Hardy hits a modified neckbreaker for a two count. Bennett knee strikes Hardy, but Hardy counters with a reverse DDT for a two count. Bennett boots Hardy in the corner and hits a jumping neckbreaker for a near fall. Hardy plants Bennett with the Side Effect for a near fall.

Hardy goes to the middle rope and delivers an elbow strike. Hardy plays to the crowd and Bennett counters with the Twist of Fate with a backslide for a two count. Bennett tosses Hardy into the referee to avoid the Twist of Fate again. Bennett low blows Hardy and plants Hardy with a spinebuster, but the referee is down. Reby Sky gets on the apron to distract Bennett. Bennett drags Sky into the ring and blocks a slap. Bennett brings Sky to the corner and is met with a low blow by Hardy. Sky plants Bennett with a tornado DDT. Hardy hits the Twist of Fate to win the match. (*1/4. Hardy didn’t do much of anything as the match heavily relied on strikes and wasn’t very enjoyable whatsoever. I think this version of Matt Hardy is the worse version. He’s in great shape, but his motivation to work a good match doesn’t seem to exist. He’s a big name and can really just milk that to draw a crowd.)

Final Thoughts:
This is mostly a one match show as Edwards/Cole is the only one that delivered much of anything for entertainment. Thus, I can’t recommend this show.

Thanks for reading.