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The February 21 NWA Anarchy TV taping was their best of 2009.
Both main events were top notch. The first hour main was the best match in the building so far this year. The second hour main was a violent, heated no DQ brawl culminating in new tag team champions being crowned.
Attendance was 175, and the heat that of late, has been conspicuous by its absence, was back full force. The transition process to set up the stories for Hardcore Hell is largely over. This was first show of the downhill crash course into the annual rites of spring on April 18.
This will be less detailed report than usual. Anarchy asked me to substitute as play-by-play announcer for the night because Greg Hunter had to cancel on short notice. It was an opportunity I couldn’t pass up. My only request was that they not hold it against me when I stunk up the joint. Through the years, I had developed a healthy respect for what the Anarchy announcers and all people behind-the-scenes have to do to pull off a successful television taping. Or so I thought. That respect grew exponentially as a result of my experience last night. Hunter is an outstanding play-by-play announcer, and I consider Hunter and John Johnson to be one of the best announce teams going. Countless thanks to JJ - I’m sure his back is sore today after carrying someone so clueless about the ways of television announcing through two episodes.
(1) Malachi pinned Todd Sexton in 6-7 minutes. Solid opener. No shortage of heat here. The finish got botched on the first try. Not a problem with a veteran like Sexton. Malachi countered Sexton’s running knee with a small package.
Postmatch, Sexton nailed Malachi with the kill shot. Slim J hit the ring and locked Sexton in a triangle. Sexton’s former protégés, The Technicians (Bobby Moore & Tyler Smith) attacked J until the ref corp broke it up. J had to be helped to the back.
Next up was a backstage vignette featuring the formation of the Entourage, as Hollywood Brunettes (Andrew Alexander & Kyle Matthews) and Taco Delgado joined Mike Mosley as part of Jeff Lewis’ minions.
Prior to the Entourage’s ring entrance, Taco Delgado rolled out a section of red carpet on the ramp and set up a velvet rope across the bottom.
(2) The Entourage (Jeff Lewis & Mike Mosley & Andrew Alexander & Kyle Matthews) beat Wild Bunch (Billy Buck & Chris King) & Bo Newsome & TK Cross in 8 minutes. Alexander is now known as “Hollywood Hacksaw.†He looks more like one of the prophet with that facial hair. Brunettes pinned Cross with Sheeny Curse.
On the WrestleVision, we saw Ace Rockwell and Shaun Tempers find the NWA Anarchy TV Champion Truitt Fields laying face down in the back. That left Rockwell without a tag team partner for the main event against Phil Shatter and Kimo. Rockwell looked at Tempers and said they would have to get the band back together again.
(3) Azrael (with the Reverend & Skirra Corvus) beat Hayden Young to retain the Young Lion’s Title in 8 minutes. Azrael’s cold-blooded path of destruction through the Young Lion’s Division continues. He kept Young’s aerial game under control for most of the match. Scary spot when Young lost his grip on the ropes and fell off the apron. He ended up with a bloody nose but was otherwise OK. Azrael won it with the Ted Bundy. Another good match.
(4) NWA National Champion Phil Shatter & Kimo (with Jeff G. Bailey) beat Pomp & Circumstance (Ace Rockwell & Shaun Tempers) in 10-12 minutes. Not only the match of the night, it was the match of the year thus far. The reunited Pomp and Circumstance got a mind blowing pop. The fans had longer than expected memories. Or maybe it was seeing something fresh. In any case, this match had great performances from all four. Tremendous bell to bell intensity. Kimo took no bumps. He did take a lariat over the top, but landed on his feet. There is no better babyface-in-peril than Rockwell. Shatter speared the bejeezus out of Tempers for the pin.
(5) Adrian Hawkins pinned Chip Day in 6 minutes with the Liger Bomb. This was the weakest match. It didn’t help that Day came into it wit a messed up neck.
In a backstage vignette, Brodie Chase offered his services to show “Hands of Steel†Seth Delay how to make some money in the wrestling business.
Next up was the funeral for Mikal Judas. Chairs were set up in the ring for the “congregation†consisting of all the top heels. Iceberg took up two chairs. The midcard heels acted as pall bearers. They placed the casket at ringside. The Reverend was the natural (or unnatural depending on how you look at it) choice to preside over the service. Brodie Chase spoke in the role of Judas’ original trainer. Jeremy Vain also spoke. Attorney Jeff G. Bailey was the last to speak. The highlight was Bailey dancing a jig on the casket. They burned a publicity photo of Judas and put it in the casket before carrying him out. “Amazing Grace†played briefly. The Reverend’s closing words: “Mikal Judas has left the building.â€
Vain said he was letting Rob Adonis have the non-title match against Shadow Jackson. He reasoned that Adonis would soften Jackson up and ensure his title victory at a later date.
(6) NWA Anarchy Heavyweight Champion Shadow Jackson beat Rob Adonis (with Jeremy Vain) in a non-title match in 7:40. Again, plenty of heat. It’s amazing that Jackson has been so over for so long in this building. Adonis worked on Jackson’ knee and ankle – the same that he suffered a torn Achilles tendon in 14 months ago. Along the way, Adonis hit Jackson’s 1031. Jackson eventually did hit his finisher. Vain distracted Jackson. Ref Ken Wallace DQed Adonis for whacking Jackson with a chair.
Postmatch, Adonis applied the claw hold. They did more damage to the ankle, but before they could Pillmanize it, NWA Anarchy owner Jerry Palmer led the charge to save Jackson.
(7) Talent & Money (JT Talent & Andrews Pendleton) defeated New Wave (Derrick Driver & Steven Walters) to win the NWA Anarchy tag titles in 6:30. New Wave got a huge pop, especially from the kids. T & M attacked before the bell and it was all out war. They doubled on Walters, as Driver was, at first, slow to take advantage of the no DQ rules. But once he did, it was with a vengeance. New Wave beat the hell out of Talent & Money. Belt shots to both left Talent busted wide open. New Wave hit the Unskinny Bop on Talent. With Brodie Chase observing from ringside, Seth Delay came off the top with a knuck shot on Driver and put Talent on top for the pin.
Postmatch, Pendleton paid off Chase for their assistance in absconding with the titles.
NOTES: Executive Producer Kevin Marx doubled as ring announcer in Hunter’s absence…A contingent from NWA Charlotte including JD Costello, James Joyce, Tim Young and Ace Armstrong were in the house. I expect to see several more NWA Anarchy stars making appearances in Charlotte in the near future…Anarchy will be hosting its first ever NWA Excellence Camp on March 20-22. The event will be weekend long training provided by Les Thatcher…NWA Anarchy TV airs at a new day in time in Augusta on WBEK 16. It’s now on Mondays at 10pm and Sundays at 3pm…Anarchy also added new clearances in Dallas/Ft. Worth on KHPK3 Saturdays at 7pm (starting 3/7) and online at [url=http://atsportstv.com]@SPORTS.TV[/url].
