NWA Upstate Anniversary Anarchy 5/17/2008

Written by: Bob Colling

NWA Upstate Pro Wrestling presents Anniversary Anarchy
Date: 5/17/2008
From: Henrietta, NY

Opening Contest: The McClouds (Evan and Kyle McCloud) vs Ring Crew Express (Dunn and Marcos) vs Cloud Lee (Brodie Lee and Cloudy) vs Rhythm And Booze (Frank Burlington and Buddy DelMar): The match starts off with dives to the floor and brawling all over the place. Everyone ends up in the ring with ten punches in each corner. Brodie is sent into three other guys and he’s the only one that doesn’t budge. Brodie the biggest guy in the match and is not knocked off his feet early on. Brodie trades shots with Dunn in the middle of the ring. Cloudy and Marcos help their partners with Ring Crew delivering chops. Lee shoulder blocks Dunn to maintain control of the contest. Cloudy legally enters the match, but is sent into the corner and the team of Rhythm and Booze double team Dunn for a few moments. Burlington chops and strikes Dunn in the corner before tagging in Buddy. Frank tries for a superplex, but gets shoved off by Dunn. Dunn hits a top rope elbow drop and tags in Evan McCloud hitting a backbreaker on Cloudy and decking Lee off the apron. Frank tags in and delivers a slam to control Evan. Cloudy and Lee are tagged in to double team Evan in the corner. Lee nails Evan with a big boot in the corner and Cloudy follows up with a double knee. Lee hits a cannonball in the corner as well.

Lee delivers a leg drop and gets a two count. Lee delivers a forearm strike to Evan and tags in Cloudy to maintain the advantage. Evan plants Cloudy with a spinebuster. Kyle and Lee tag in but Rhythm and Booze try to get involve, as well. Lee is nailed by a dropkick by the McClouds and they hit a double Stroke to Marcos for a two count. Rhythm and Booze try for a piledriver, but the McClouds counter hitting a powerslam in midair for a two count. Rhythm and Booze take the titles and begin to head backstage. Dunn drops Cloudy with a Gory Special and superkicks Lee. Dunn hits a neckbreaker on Lee and Dunn hits a back splash off of Dunn’s shoulders for a two count. Marcos delivers a backbreaker to Cloudy, but Lee makes the save. Cloudy backdrops Dunn off of Lee’s shoulders. McClouds dropkick Lee to the floor and hit a double team Codebreaker to pin Cloudy for the win. (***. Well, that was a fun opener with a hot crowd to start off the show. I thought that everyone looked pretty good in there. Rhythm and Booze were giving me FTR vibes with their presentation and style. Ring Crew Express were a lot of fun, as well. This was constant action and held my interest. A good start to the show.)

Second Contest: Big Cat vs Spazz: Cat goes to his knees and scares Spazz into the corner. Spazz delivers a kick to the face and follows up with several strikes before running into a big boot and rolls to the floor. Cat press slams Spazz over the top into the ring. Spazz almost wins the match and boots Cat in the corner. Cat catches Spazz coming off the top hitting a Death Valley Driver for the win. (NR. This was too quick to really mean anything.)

Backstage, the McClouds cut a promo about this being their night because they beat three of the best tag teams, including the tag champs Rhythm and Booze. McClouds think they walked off because they are the best tag team and they know it. They recall the attacks they suffered in recent shows, but they always come back. They are coming for the tag titles and say this is personal.

Third Contest: Sara Del Rey vs Portia Perez: Del Ray backs Perez into a corner, but backs away and Perez complains of a hair pull. Del Ray shoulder blocks Perez leading to more complaining by Perez. Del Ray gets a two count off a shoulder block and delivers several kicks against the ropes before playing to the crowd. Del Ray dropkicks Perez for a two count. Del Ray forearms Perez several times followed by a scoop slam. Del Ray misses a back splash coming off the ropes. Perez kicks Del Ray several times and tries for a sunset flip, but Del Ray sits down to counter it. Perez stops Del Ray with an eye rake and kicks to the ribs. Del Ray misses a splash in the corner and Perez connects with a running knee. Del Ray no sells a few kicks and catches a spinning heel kick hitting a back suplex for a near fall. Some music starts to play and distracts Del Ray.

Brodie Lee and Cloudy make their way down to the ring. Brodie cuts a promo saying that he said he wasn’t done for the evening. Brodie tries to punch Perez and is met with a low blow. Del Ray kicks Cloudy and chokes him over the middle rope. I guess this is now a tag match?

Fourth Contest: Sara Del Ray & Portia Perez vs. Brodie Lee & Cloudy: Perez hits a flatliner on Cloudy and Del Ray tags back into the match. Lee nails Del Ray and Perez with big boots. Lee has Perez setup for a powerbomb and Cloudy comes off the middle rope to hit a backstabber for the win. (NR. Brodie and Cloudy and dastardly heels.) After the match, the locker room runs into the ring but they are obviously wicked late to make any sort of save.

Fifth Contest: NWA Upstate No Limits Champions Cheech vs Gabe Saint: Cheech controls Saint early on with wrist control and a side headlock. Saint elbows free and counters for a moment before Cheech gets control again. Saint slaps Cheech followed by arm drags and gets arm control. Saint hip tosses Cheech followed by right hands but misses a dropkick as Cheech held onto the ropes. Cheech sends Saint through the ropes to the floor. Cheech misses a baseball slide and Saint delivers a chop on the floor. Saint slams Cheech’s face on the apron and tells the fans to move. Saint goes to send Cheech into the railing, which doesn’t exist. Saint hip tosses Cheech onto a mattress in the crowd? Saint brawls with Cheech onto the entrance way. Cheech tries to send Saint into the post, but fails. Saint atomic drops Cheech and Cheech goes head first into the post. Saint returns to the ring and Cheech begs off in the ring. Cheech eye rakes Saint and hits a snap suplex for a two count. Cheech distracts the referee while choking Saint for a few moments.

Cheech jabs Saint and delivers a gut buster followed by a double stomp. Cheech hits a slingshot senton from the apron for a two count. Cheech chops Saint against the ropes and is met with a few strikes in the corner. Saint nails Cheech with a leaping clothesline. Cheech axe handles Saint coming off the top in the midsection. Cheech chops Saint a few times, but Saint rams Cheech into the corner. Cheech connects with a running knee strike for a two count. Saint hammers away on Cheech, but is stopped by a sleeper hold. Saint prevents his arm from falling three times and elbows free. Saint shoulder blocks Cheech several times and hits a seated clothesline for a two count. Saint gets out of a sleeper with a jawbreaker and kicks Cheech in the midsection. Cheech avoids a big boot and holds onto the ropes to avoid a rollup. Saint almost wins with a rollup and they trade a few pin attempts. Saint connects with a big boot and gets a near fall. Saint hits a sit out powerbomb for a two count. Saint heads to the top rope, but Cheech stops him. Cheech flips off the middle rope and rolls through a crossbody for a two count. Cheech dropkicks Saint on the knee followed by a knee breaker and a dragon screw leg whip.

Cheech locks in the figure four in the middle of the ring. Saint rolls over to counter the hold, but that doesn’t last long as Cheech reaches the ropes. Cheech drives Saint into the corner over his shoulder followed by a powerslam. Cheech heads to the top rope hitting a shooting star press for a two count. Saint almost wins with a backslide, but Cheech stops Saint with a strike. Cheech crotches Saint in the corner and puts him in the tree of woe. Cheech dropkicks Saint on the knee again but misses a cannonball. Saint gains footing on the top rope and knocks Cheech off the middle rope. Saint hits a big splash off the top rope to win the match and title. (**1/2. A solid match that may have felt a little too long. I didn’t understand the brawling on the crowd or the use of a mattress in the front row, but whatever. I had never seen Cheech even try a shooting star press prior to this match, so that was cool. The action was okay throughout if not a little boring, but the finish was good.) After the match, Cheech yanks the title away from the referee and gives it to Saint emotional that he lost it. Cheech shows respect to Saint and leaves the ring.

Backstage, Cloudy and Brodie Lee cut a promo. Cloudy says we saw a change in them tonight and says that Rhythm and Booze will not have the tag titles for long because he has a monster in Brodie Lee. Lee shoves Cloudy away and walks off past the camera.

Sixth Contest: Triple X, Super Assassin, Mastiff and Jonny Puma vs The Star Foundation: These guys are all local and for the most part I have absolutely no idea who they are. The match goes about ten minutes with the finish seeing Vida get driven down with an elevated DDT by Triple X and Super Assassin for the win. (NR. I would have watched this fully if I knew anyone, but I honestly just don’t care for filler eight man tag matches. To be fair, judging the highlights the action didn’t appear to be all that bad.)

Backstage, Gabe Saint cuts a promo about how eight years full of injuries is a long time but says the title is worth it. Saint respects Cheech for the match. Saint thanks the fans for their support and promises he won’t let them down.

2CW wrestlers appear with a banner. They’ve been feuding with NWA Upstate at this point. It’s just JD Love and ZSIII. They enter the ring and Love takes the microphone. Love says the show sucks. Love makes fun of their slogan about tradition. Love says Upstate sucks and they are all lemons. Love pokes fun at Upstate for being a cure for the sleep deprived. Love says all the fans in the crowd don’t equate to one 2CW fan. Love pokes fun of Sandman by pretending to sleep in the ring, which Sandman did at a 2CW event. Some music begins to play and it’s Hellcat on crutches. 2CW claims they have no idea what happened to Hellcat. 2CW is going to try and shut down the show. Hellcat brought some backup this time and it’s Gabe Saint and another guy. They brawl into the ring with Upstate clearing 2CW from the ring. Hellcat challenges 2CW to a cage match in June. On June 28th it will be a War Games match. The match is accepted.

Seventh Contest: Ricky Reyes vs Pepper Parks vs AJ Styles: Reyes is double teamed to start the match and is hip tossed by both men. Reyes rolls to the floor to regroup. Reyes returns to the ring and continues to be worked over. Reyes again bails to the outside to regroup. Parks controls Styles with a wrist lock, but Styles counters quickly. Styles sends Parks to the floor to counter a go-behind. Reyes hits Styles from behind and kicks Parks off the apron to the floor. Reyes shoulder blocks Styles, but Styles pops up and fakes a dropkick. Reyes comes off the ropes and is met with a dropkick. Styles tries to suplex Parks into the ring, but Park gets a near fall with a rollup. Parks powerslams Styles for a near fall. Parks chops Styles in the corner followed by a strike. Parks clotheslines Styles in the corner and continues with stomps. Reyes returns to the ring and keeps a headlock on Parks. Reyes kicks Styles and drives Parks down to the mat face first for a two count. Reyes dropkicks Parks on the knee and keeps control of the match with Styles on the apron. Reyes knocks Styles off the apron and taunts the crowd. Reyes elbow drops Parks on the knee and delivers a leg DDT. Reyes drives Parks knee down onto the mat and locks in an Indian death lock. Styles nails Reyes with a knee drop to make the save.

Styles works over Parks in the corner a few times. Parks boots Styles in the corner followed by a scoop slam for a two count. Styles chops Parks a few times and hits a splash in the corner. Reyes returns to the match and hits a double under hook on Styles for a near fall. Parks nails Reyes from behind and backdrops Styles. Parks chops Reyes in the corner, but Reyes comes back with a forearm strike. Reyes delivers a knee breaker to Parks. Reyes yanks on Parks knee to keep him on the mat. Styles delivers a few strikes to Reyes followed by a backbreaker. Parks works over Styles with strikes in the corner, but Reyes delivers a strike to Parks and sends Styles to the floor. Parks kicks Reyes and Styles comes off the top to deliver a forearm smash. Styles beats on Reyes with strikes in the corner. Styles hooks Reyes for a superplex, but Parks comes over to hit a powerbomb on Styles as Reyes is taken over with a superplex off the top rope.

Parks spikes Reyes with a tornado DDT off the middle rope for a two count as Styles breaks the count. Styles elbows Parks along with strikes and chops. Styles hits a dropkick off the middle rope for a two count on Parks. Reyes had a dragon sleeper on Styles briefly. Reyes elbows Styles a few times and locks in the dragon sleeper! Parks breaks the submission, which was done nicely by Reyes. Parks and Reyes trade forearms until Reyes kicks Parks on the leg. Styles blocks a hurricanrana by Reyes, but Parks dropkicks Styles to prevent the Styles Clash. Parks works over Styles in the corner, but Reyes chop blocks Parks. Styles ducks a clothesline to pele kick Reyes! Styles goes to the apron looking for a springboard, but Reyes knocks Styles to the floor. Parks hits a gut buster and swinging neckbreaker on Reyes to win the match. (***1/4. WOW. I was not expecting Parks or Reyes to win the match at all. Of course Styles is not going to be involved in the finish if he wasn’t going to win because TNA would flip out over that. Regardless, I like that a local talent would get the win in a match involving a top talent. It would make people want to see the local talent down the road. However, not seeing Styles hit his key moves may be a bit disappointing for fans. Regardless, I enjoyed the match and liked the unexpected finish.)

Main Event: NWA Upstate Heavyweight Champion Danny Doring vs Jimmy Olsen inside a steel cage: Olsen attacks Doring during his entrance and rams Doring into the cage a few times. Olsen clubs on Doring over the back and chokes Doring with his ring jacket. Big Cat comes out and decks Olsen from behind to help Doring. Doring and Cat double team Olsen and Cat splashes Olsen against the cage. Cat tosses Olsen into the ring and Doring keeps control with strikes. Doring chokes Olsen over the middle rope and wedges a chair in the corner. Doring taunts the fans and is sent back first into the chair by Olsen. Olsen chops Doring a few times to get the momentum, but Doring stops Olsen with an eye rake and a snap suplex. Doring lays Olsen onto the chair and leaps off the top rope missing an elbow drop and hits the chair. Olsen decks Doring in the corner a few times. Olsen sends Doring into the corner face first followed by a few chops and stomps. Doring nails Olsen with a superkick for a two count. Doring argues with the referee regarding the count. Doring climbs to the top and is smashed with a chair. Olsen hooks Doring on the top rope hitting a superplex. Olsen goes for the cover, but Doring kicks out at two. Olsen wedges the chair in the corner and Doring ends up sending Olsen into the chair head first.

Olsen has been busted open from the spot and Doring continues to beat on Olsen with strikes to open up the wound. Doring sends Olsen into the cage and taunts the crowd. Doring sits on the chair and keeps a chin lock on Olsen. Doring drop toe holds Olsen onto the chair. Doring continues to beat on the cut on Olsen’s forehead. Doring chops Olsen in the corner leading to a near fall. Doring sends Olsen into the cage again head first. Olsen is bleeding quite a bit at this point. Doring looks to exit through the cage door, but Olsen grabs his foot and beats on Doring with more strikes. Olsen hits a crossbody in the corner and climbs to the top, but Doring delivers a strike to stop Olsen. Doring yanks Olsen off the top and crotches Olsen on the top rope. Doring signals for the end and grabs the steel chair. Doring misses a chair shot and Olsen kicks the chair into Doring’s face. Olsen climbs the cage looking to escape, but instead stands on the top of the cage hitting a crossbody for a two count!

Olsen has the steel chair but Doring delivers a boot and sunset flip. Olsen has the chair and smashed Doring with it, but that wasn’t a great spot. They trade shots on the top rope with Olsen ramming Doring face first into the cage. Doring falls off and knocks out the referee. Olsen is climbing out of the cage, but Big Cat catches Olsen and tosses him back into the cage. Doring nails Olsen over the back with a strike. Olsen dropkicks the door into Big Cat after ducking a clothesline from Doring. Olsen has a rollup, but Doring kicks out and Olsen goes head first into a cage door shot by Big Cat. Doring whacks Olsen with a steel chair and begins to climb the cage. Doring decides not to climb and hits a reverse powerbomb followed by a piledriver. Doring has the championship and walks out the cage door to retain the title. Doring took his sweet time doing it to add insult to injury. (***. I enjoyed the cage match and liked the usage of Big Cat to help Doring. Doring plays a really good heel role here and I could see money in having a long reign before the next top face takes the belt off of him. Doring came across as a classic old school heel with muscle to help him out. I liked that. I’m mostly familiar with Olsen as a heel, but his underdog performance here was good, too. This was better than I expected it to be.)

Backstage, Danny Doring cuts a promo on Jimmy Olsen. Doring claps for Jimmy Olsen’s effort. Doring gives Olsen credit for having more fight in him than he thought. Doring has never had a fight like that before. Doring thought Olsen was dead at one point. Doring credits Olsen for making him look like a million bucks. Doring doesn’t care what people say about Big Cat’s involvement because it was a steel cage match. Doring is going to start looking upwards now that he’s done with Olsen. Big Cat chimes in and says this is what happens when you mess with him. Cat notes that if Olsen wants to get in the ring with him that he dares Olsen to do it. Doring doesn’t care who wants a match with him he’s not ducking anyone.

Final Thoughts:
The opening tag, three way and the main event all delivered some really solid action. Plus, Saint/Cheech wasn’t all that bad. I’m going to give this a recommendation to watch. I really enjoyed the show and the crowd was hot for most of it.