AAW One Twisted Christmas 12/16/2006

Written by: Bob Colling

AAW presents One Twisted Christmas
Date: 12/16/2006
From: Berwyn, IL

Backstage, Zero says he doesn’t need weapons to win matches. We’re going to see a new Zero because he likes to hurt people. Zero says he has a right arm that breaks necks. Zero goes through a door and clotheslines a random dude for getting in his way.

Backstage, Tyler Black cuts a promo on Marek Brave. Black says that Brave got lucky at the last show. JJ says he has a headache and asks Black to stop yelling. Danny Daniels enters the scene and tells them they know where has been. Daniels knows that they know what’s going on. Daniels says this isn’t a good time. JJ says it’s not his problem that Danny’s father is sick.

Opening Contest: Derek St. Holmes & Jason Dukes vs. Charlie Manson Jr. & Tyme Paige: Holmes and Manson kickoff the tag match to start the show. Holmes wants to do a test of strength, but Manson kicks his foot to bring his hands down. Holmes takes Manson down to deliver a splash. Manson takes Holmes over with a hurricanrana and a dropkick to the floor. Paige takes Dukes over with an arm drag. Paige connects with a springboard head scissors to send Dukes to the floor. Paige and Manson hit stereo dives to the floor onto their opponents on opposite sides of the ring. Holmes gain control in the ring with an uppercut to Manson. Manson springboards off the ropes to arm drag Holmes and tries again, but is caught with a powerslam by Holmes. Holmes comes off the ropes to deliver a fist drop, but misses a second attempt. Dukes tags in and works over Manson with strikes against the ropes. Manson head scissors Dukes across the ring, but Holmes breaks the pin. Dukes atomic drops Manson leading to a forearm by Holmes for a near fall. Holmes tosses Manson with a double under hook suplex. Dukes plants Manson with a double under hook powerbomb, but Paige breaks the cover. Manson is double teamed while the referee is distracted. Holmes knee strikes Manson several times followed by a scoop slam. Dukes returns to the match and leaps off the middle rope missing a leg drop. Holmes and Paige are tagged in with Paige hitting a sloppy dropkick off the top rope. Paige head scissors Holmes out of the corner and hits a double springboard hurricanrana on Dukes. Holmes stops Paige with a few strikes. Dukes collides with Holmes leading to Paige pinning Holmes for the win. After the match, Holmes and Dukes attack thee winners. Paige is on Holmes shoulders and they hit a Doomsday Device. (**. I thought they did well for the six minutes they were given. Paige and Hanson are a little sloppy, but their offense potential is there. Holmes is a throwback type of wrestler and I enjoy his style.)

Backstage, Russell Scoops is cutoff by another interviewer. He interviews Bryce Benjamin and Shane Hollister where they say they are going to win the tag titles and watch Rocky on Wednesday. Joey Eastman enters the scene and is dismissing the name Lucas. Eastman tells Benjamin that things take time. Eastman claims that he has a head injury. Eastman walks off after they are uninterested in talking to him.

AAW Heavyweight Champion Marek Brave makes his way to the ring to be interviewed. Brave says that it feels great to be the champion. Brave hopes to make the fans proud of him. It doesn’t take long for Jerry Lynn to come down to the ring and confront Brave. Lynn shakes Brave’s hand upon entering the ring. Lynn is not out here to disrespect Brave by any means. Lynn tells Brave that he watched the barbed wire match and puts Brave over as a great athlete. Lynn notes he’s been going for the title for a year now. Chandler McClure makes his way out to insert himself into the segment. McClure thinks that tonight should have been his title shot and not Lynn. McClure tells Lynn that he put him in danger by putting him in the cradle piledriver. McClure hits Lynn and Lynn bumps into Brave leading to some tension between them.

Backstage, Krotch is hanging out and is surprised to hear he has a match. Krotch isn’t interested in wrestling Zero. Referees come over and grab Krotch for the match. Yeah, that sentence comes across great.

Second Contest: Krotch vs. Zero: Zero attacks Krotch on the aisle as the referees still had Krotch. Zero brings the action into the ring and continues to work over Krotch with strikes. Zero slams Krotch followed by a jumping elbow drop. Krotch tries to fight back, but Zero isn’t selling that and plants Krotch with a side suplex. Krotch almost pins Zero with a rollup and sends Zero face first into the corner. Krotch ducks a clothesline to deliver right hands. Zero decks Krotch with a lariat and wins the match. (1/2*. That’s probably exactly how this should have gone. I dig Zero’s offense and overall presentation.)

Last weekend, Billy Whack was outside talking to Dave Prazak and Trik Davis. Prazak says that they needed to take care of some business. Prazak isn’t at AAW because he’ll be in Florida. Prazak is a little concerned about what Trik is doing on the show. Prazak notes that Davis is on a winning streak in AAW. Whack notes that Davis will be wrestling Chandler McClure, Jayson Reign and Nigel McGuiness. Prazak is confident that Davis will win. The match will be a number one contenders match for the AAW Heavyweight Championship. Davis talks about being undefeated for nine months and never got a title shot. Davis says he’s going to win the four way and win the AAW Heavyweight Championship.

Joey Eastman is in the ring cutting a promo on Shane Hollister and Bryce Benjamin saying they will reach the top because of him.

Third Contest: AAW Tag Team Champions The Michigan Invasion (N8 Mattson & Truth Martini) vs. Bryce Benjamin & Shane Hollister: Mattson and Hollister start the title match with Hollister getting mat control for a moment. They trade a few holds with Mattson getting control with a few knee drops. Mattson arm drags Hollister and taunts the fans by standing on the middle rope. Hollister arm drags Mattson and tags in Benjamin. Mattson is met with a double hip toss and elbow drop. Hollister returns to the match for a two count after a double back elbow. Martini tags in and is met with a drop toe hold. Benjamin delivers a seated clothesline to Martini and Benjamin gets a two count after an elbow drop. Hollister forearms Martini in the corner leading to a two count. Mattson gets a tag and clotheslines Hollister after an atomic drop by Martini. Mattson chokes Hollister over the middle rope and Benjamin distracts the referee. The champs continue to double team Hollister with a double hip toss. Martini plants Hollister with a spinebuster for a near fall. The champs double dropkick a seated Hollister for a two count.

Mattson keeps control on Hollister with back strikes. Hollister hits a crossbody coming off the ropes, but Mattson comes back with a leg drop for a two count. Martini returns to the match and knee lifts Hollister leading to a near fall. Martini drops Hollister gut first over the top rope and Mattson gets a few cheap shots in on the floor. Hollister tries to tag out, but is stopped by Mattson with a suplex for a near fall. Martini has a abdominal stretch on Hollister and puts his thumb up his ass. Hollister blocks a strike and puts Martini’s thumb into Mattson’s mouth. Benjamin tags in and rams the champs into each other. Benjamin hits a swinging neckbreaker on Mattson for a two count. Martini is nailed by stereo kicks for a two count. The champs are nearly pinned at the same time on rollups. Hollister and Benjamin dropkick the champs to the floor and deliver baseball slides.

Hollister is rammed groin first into the ring post. Benjamin rolls Martini into the ring and hits a leg drop after leaping off Martini’s back. Mattson comes up from behind on Benjamin as Joey Eastman caused a distraction and gets a rollup for the win. (**1/4. The finish was a bit weird as it’s likely leading to Eastman turning heel on Benjamin and Hollister. The action was alright, but it didn’t feel as if it got out of first gear for the most part.) After the match, when Hollister and Benjamin aren’t looking Eastman is walking normally.

Backstage, Jayson Reign cuts a promo about McClure cheating his way to victory. Reign promises to get payback on McClure.

Backstage, Nigel McGuiness cuts a promo about the four way match. McGuiness says he’s about to kill someone because he’s been up sniffing glue.

Fourth Contest: Zach Gowen vs. Eric Priest: Early on, Gowen tries to take Priest down, but Priest is easily able to avoid the attempt. Priest picks Gowen up and taunts the crowd before putting Gowen on the top turnbuckle. Gowen leaps off the middle rope to dropkick Priest and dumps Priest over the top to the floor. Gowen tries for a baseball slide dropkick, but Priest catches Gowen and delivers strikes on the floor. Priest has Gowen over the shoulder, but is sent face first into the post. Gowen leaps off the middle rope to hit a moonsault to the floor. Gowen comes off the middle rope to deliver a leg drop for a two count. Gowen goes to the top for a moonsault, but Priest shoves the referee into the ropes and Gowen drops to the mat. Priest leg drops Gowen for a two count. Priest mounts Gowen with right hands and taunts the crowd. Gowen fights back with a few headbutts to the midsection. Priest chokes Gowen over the top rope. Gowen chops Priest in the corner a few times, but Priest pummels Gowen with right hands in the corner to regain control of the match. Priest tries for a cover, but Gowen kicks out at two.

Gowen stops Priest with a jawbreaker, but Priest drops Gowen with a slam for a two count. Priest goes to the top rope, but Gowen crotches Priest on the top turnbuckle. Gowen staggers Priest with right hands before going to the middle rope looking for a superplex. Gowen is shoved off to the mat and Priest hits a top rope elbow drop for a near fall. Priest begins to argue with the referee. Gowen gets up in the corner and elbows Priest. Gowen hits a sunset flip off the middle rope and pins Priest for the win. (**. A solid match with a decent finish even if it was clearly setup and obvious to the viewer., I’m a little shocked by the outcome since Priest seems to be a guy getting a push and loses to Gowen here cleanly. I’m thinking this is a sign that Priest is falling down the ranks.)

Eric Priest cuts a promo about how 2006 was going to be his year and he was going to win the AAW Heavyweight Championship. However, that match for the title never happened because Keith Walker got stripped of the title. He did Jim Jesus’s dirty work for eight months and got nothing for it. Priest knows the fas know that the belt should be his. Priest is upset that he couldn’t be a “one legged gimp.” Priest is wondering if he’s past his prime. Priest is teasing retirement. Priest says that 2006 has been the worst year of his life. Priest insults Gowen again saying he’s a WWE reject and parks in the handicap spot. Priest finishes off wondering if 2007 will even have an Eric Priest and walks off.

Fifth Contest: Chandler McClure vs. Nigel McGuinness vs. Trik Davis vs. Jayson Reign in a number one contenders match: McGuinness and Davis kickoff the contest. They trade wrist control until Davis goes to the ropes out of frustration. McGuinness puts a full nelson on Davis, but Davis breaks free only for McGuinness to lock it in again. Davis reaches the ropes again, but McGuinness drops Davis down to the mat. McClure tags into the contest as does Reign. Reign ducks a clothesline and avoids a boot to the midsection. Reign hip tosses McClure followed by a dropkick to the knee and a leg drop. McClure slides to the floor and decks Reign with a right hand before sending Reign chest first into the bottom rope. McGuinness uppercuts Davis in the ring while McClure beats on Reign. McGuinness tosses Davis overhead with a suplex until McClure comes over and decks McGuinness from behind. Reign takes McClure over with a suplex and McGuinness deliver a suplex to Davis onto McClure.

Reign does the same suplexing Davis onto McClure. McGuinness tosses Davis over the top to the floor. McClure trips Reign from the floor and hit a slingshot senton to maintain control. McClure decks Reign with a forearm shot and Davis tags into the contest. Davis delivers a kick to Reign’s ribs. Davis forearms Reign for a two count and tags in McClure. Reign continues to be worked over by McClure and Davis. Reign avoids a double clothesline and sends McClure and Davis into each other. McGuinness wants a tag and gets tagged in to clean house with uppercuts. McGuinness slams McClure and sends Davis to the floor. McGuinness continues to work over McClure in the corner by delivering a running uppercut. McGuinness decks McClure with a clothesline for a two count. McGuinness kicks Davis in the corner and clotheslines McClure after a kick to the back. McClure drops Davis with a modified neckbreaker, but gets kicked by Reign. Davis kicks Reign in the corner, but Reign hits a sit out spinebuster for a two count. McClure tries for a piledriver, but Reign spikes McClure with a northern lights suplex for a near fall.

Davis avoids a superkick and hits a middle rope Codebreaker for a near fall. McGuinness is kicked into the ropes and Davis delivers a hurricanrana. McGuinness comes off the ropes to nail Davis with a lariat for a near fall. Reign broke the cover and they argue. Reign and McGuinness trade strikes until Reign plants McGuinness face first to the mat and locks in a full nelson submission. Davis tries to use a chair, but the referee goes down. Reign puts the same submission on Davis, but McClure nails Reign with the ring bell to win the match. (**. The match should have been a Texas tornado match since they didn’t really keep to the rules of a four way. McClure winning makes sense as he’s been getting a focus lately in the company. McGuinness was the only one that came across as a star because he’s the only star of the group.)

Backstage, Ryan Boz and Dan Lawrence cut a promo about getting the tag belts back from the Michigan Invasion. They promise they are coming back for the belts and the champs better watch their backs.

During intermission, Tyler Black came out to ruin a Santa Claus segment. Wait, Santa was dressed as a wrestler and he attacked Black. I’m not sure who the wrestler is but the fans are chanting for Santa. After looking it up, the wrestler is Tony Scarpone.

Billy Whacks makes his way down to the ring as the next match is supposed to be a triple threat match between Jacobs, Silas and Steel for the AAW Heritage Championship. Jacobs cuts a promo saying that he blew out his knee last week. Jacobs has a note proving that he has a torn ACL and he won’t be able to defend the title. Jacobs introduces Rasche Brown. Whacks says that the doctor note is legit. Apparently, Rasche is defending the title in place for Jacobs.

Sixth Contest: AAW Heritage Champion Jimmy Jacobs & Rasche Brown vs. Ace Steel & Silas Young: Jacobs is remaining at ringside for the match and is rooting on Rasche to defend the title. Jacobs trips Young coming off the ropes. Steel hammers away on Brown and Jacobs trips Steel. Jacobs trips both Young and Steel at the same time. Jacobs runs away from both men and gets in the ring. Whacks rings the bell and makes the match a tag team match. If Jacobs or Brown are pinned then Jacobs loses the belt. Brown says that Jacobs paid him for one match and he’s out of here. Jacobs promises to pay Brown for another match.

Young and Brown kickoff the tag match. Brown shoulder blocks Young coming off the ropes. Brown backs Young into a corner, but misses a right hand. Young hammers away on Brown and tries for a crossbody, but Brown catches Young. Young dropkicks Brown and tries a clothesline with no impact. Steel comes off the top to dropkick Brown from behind. Jacobs begs off on the floor as Steel and Young hammer away on their opponents. Steel forearms Brown a few times, but Brown gains control and tags in Jacobs. Steel hammers away on Jacobs until Brown comes from behind and delivers a right hand. Brown continues with right hands, but Steel bites Brown’s forehead. Young tags into the match and hits a springboard crossbody for a near fall. Brown stops Young with a chokeslam. Jacobs tags in and covers Young for a two count. Jacobs keeps control with right hands. Brown returns to the match and decks Young with a forearm strike. Brown runs over Young with a forearm strike for a two count.

Brown continues to work over Young in the corner with strikes. Steel tries to get involved, but distracts the referee allowing for Young to be double teamed briefly. Young comes out of the corner to bulldog Brown and tags in Steel. Steel dropkicks a kneeling Brown and hits a middle rope splash for a near fall. Steel hammers away on Brown in the corner. Brown catches Steel in the corner and delivers a running powerslam. Brown tags in Jacobs. Steel almost pins Jacobs with an inside cradle. Steel has a backslide, but Jacobs kicks out again. Steel tries for a Gory Special, but Brown saves Jacobs. Young and Steel corner Jacobs and beat on Jacobs with chops in the corner. Young atomic drops Jacobs and Steel delivers a backbreaker. Young comes off the middle rope onto Jacobs for a two count. Jacobs decks Young on the apron, but Steel enters the ring hammering away on Jacobs. Steel knee strikes Jacobs in the corner and delivers a vertical suplex. Young hits a handstand splash for a near fall as Brown broke the cover.

Jacobs holds onto the ropes allowing for Brown to deliver a double clothesline. Brown tags himself in after dragging Jacobs to the corner. Brown slams Young and goes to the middle rope. Steel dropkicks Brown and climbs to the middle rope. Steel hooks Brown for a suplex, but Brown holds onto the ropes. Young helps Steel hit a double superplex! Jacobs is able to break the cover attempt. All four men are in the ring brawling. Steel accidentally clotheslines Young and that allows Brown to hit a Burning Hammer for the win allowing Jacobs to retain the title. (*1/2. I didn’t enjoy the match as it seemingly went on forever. They must really want Jacobs to be champion if he’s really injured. I wouldn’t be surprised if Brown ended up challenging Jacobs for the title.) After the match, Steel tries to make amends with Young and they have no issue.

Seventh Contest: Danny Daniels & Tyler Black vs. Dan Lawrence & Ryan Boz: Lawrence and Daniels start the match with Lawrence arm dragging Daniels. Lawrence arm drags Daniels a few more times causing Daniels to roll to the floor. Black tags into the match to try his luck as Boz tags into the match. Boz backs Black into a corner and Black controls the match with strikes. Boz tosses Black across the ring and scares Black to the floor. Daniels and Lawrence tag into the match. Lawrence shoulder blocks Daniels, but Daniels trips Lawrence to get control on the mat. Daniels forearms Lawrence in the corner. Lawrence ducks a clothesline and drop toe holds Daniels into the turnbuckle. Boz tags into the match and sends Lawrence into Daniels. Boz splashes Daniels in the corner and tosses Lawrence onto Daniels for a near fall. Black misses a springboard dropkick and is hip tossed. Daniels accidentally dropkicks a seated Black. Black tags in and nails Lawrence with a big boot. Daniels works over Lawrence in the corner with strikes. Daniels forearms Lawrence and has Lawrence over his back allowing Black to deliver a double stomp leading to a near fall. Black elbow drops Lawrence on the mat to keep control.

Black prevents Lawrence from making a tag and Daniels enters to hit a suplex for a two count. Black slams Lawrence and taunts the crowd by stepping on his face. Daniels returns to the match to double team Lawrence. Lawrence head scissors Daniels and tags in Boz. Boz cleans house with chops to Black and a slam to Daniels. Boz plants Black with a sit out powerbomb for a two count. Black knee strikes Boz in the corner, but Lawrence backdrops Black to the floor onto Daniels. Lawrence gets caught on a dive attempt, but Boz takes everyone out with a suicide dive to the outside. Boz rams Daniels into the corner and sits Daniels on the top rope. Daniels hits a reverse DDT off the middle rope for a two count as Lawrence stopped the cover. Daniels atomic drops Lawrence and tries for a piledriver. Black is on the top rope and is crotched after Daniels is sent into the corner. Lawrence drops Daniels to the mat and takes Black off the top with a hurricanrana onto Daniels for a two count.

Boz drops Lawrence onto Daniels, but Black dropkicks Boz to the floor. Black hits a frog splash onto Lawrence, but the referee won’t make the count because he’s not legal. Black grabs Boz for a suplex. Boz tosses Black with a suplex landing on Lawrence’s knees. Boz spikes Daniels with a tombstone. Boz drops Lawrence onto Daniels for the pin. (*1/2. This is clearly setting up a match between Black and Daniels as they had several miscommunications. The match is a prime example of having four guys on the show working a match because they have nothing setup for them to do. I don’t mind the match setting up a bigger angle between Black and Daniels.) After the match, Tony Scarpone runs into the ring and sends Black to the floor.

Tony Scarpone cuts a promo saying that he’s putting JJ Inc. on notice. Scarpone was good friends with JJ until he got his back stabbed. Scarpone calls JJ a money mark. Zero enters the ring from behind and attacks Scarpone. Zero says that he’s going to take him out himself and that leads to a brawl until several officials come into the ring to break up the fight.

Main Event: AAW Heavyweight Champion Marek Brave vs. Jerry Lynn: Brave backs Lynn into a corner and backs away cleanly. They lockup and fall through the ropes to the floor. Brave gets a head scissors on the mat to control the title match. Lynn pops out and puts a headlock on the champ. Brave hip tosses Lynn, but gets kicked away. Lynn controls Brave with a headlock on the mat. They counter each other on the mat several times and keep the pace slow. Lynn takes Brave down with a fireman’s carry and continues to keep arm control. Lynn hip tosses Brave but misses an elbow drop. Brave dropkicks Lynn followed by an arm drag to maintain the advantage. Lynn backs Brave into a corner and delivers a few right hands. Brave stops Lynn with a clothesline and signals for a superkick. Lynn rolls out of the way and bails to the floor. Lynn leg drops Brave over the middle rope from the apron. Lynn sends Brave chest first into the guard railing. Lynn delivers a backbreaker for a two count. Lynn puts a chin lock on Brave in the middle of the ring. Lynn decks Brave with a clothesline for a near fall. Lynn delivers a knee drop to the lower back of Brave. Lynn continues with knee drops.

Brave hammers away on Lynn with strikes. Lynn is sent into the corner shoulder first. Brave hits a running bulldog out of the corner for a near fall. Brave takes Lynn over with a vertical suplex for a two count. Brave presses his knee into the lower back of Lynn, but doesn’t get a submission. Brave connects with a sloppy springboard crossbody for a two count. Brave delivers a knee drop for a two count. Lynn powers out of a submission delivering right hands. Lynn almost wins with a rollup after countering a knee lift. Brave plants Lynn with a side slam and a springboard moonsault for a two count. Lynn slides to the apron and is met with a springboard dropkick by Brave. Brave climbs to the top rope hitting a crossbody to the outside. Lynn kicks out of a cover attempt. Lynn takes Brave off the middle rope with a springboard sunset flip powerbomb. They trade right hands until Brave connects with a spear for a two count. Brave signals for a superkick, but Lynn counters with a bridging German suplex for a near fall.

Brave tries for a piledriver, but Lynn spikes Brave with a reverse piledriver for a two count. Lynn sits Brave on the top turnbuckle. Brave fights back and shoves Lynn to the mat before hitting a leg drop, but can’t make the cover. Lynn almost steals the match with a rollup. Brave plants Lynn with a sit out slam for a two count. Lynn has Brave on his shoulders and avoids a reverse hurricanrana. Lynn drives Brave down with a TKO for a two count. Chandler McClure runs into the ring and is punched by both men. Brave is able to get a rollup on Lynn to win the match and retain the title. (**. That was a dumb finish and is likely setting a feud between Lynn and McClure, I’d assume. I’d consider this an underwhelming defense for Brave. The cheap finish isn’t going to make him look good, at all. The action was okay, but Brave should have started his reign with a clean win over someone of Lynn’s caliber.)

Jerry Lynn grabs a microphone and has no ill will against Brave winning, but rather with McClure. Lynn puts over Brave for learning.

Final Thoughts:
There was a lot of average wrestling on the show, but it made for a subpar wrestling show. Some of the booking decisions were a little bizarre to me. I’m not really sold on a McClure/Brave feud, which would appear to be taking place on the next show. AAW’s top level feuds are rather weak at the moment.

Thanks for reading.