PICW IN CEDARTOWN, GEORGIA LIVE REPORT: KEVIN NASH, AIR PARIS AND MORE
By Larry Goodman on 4/11/2010 6:25 PM
Purks International Championship Wrestling
returned to Cedartown, Ga Saturday night with Kevin Nash as this month's
superstar guest performer.
There were over 800 in attendance at the historic Purks building. That was down
a bit from March, though not bad at all for a beautiful spring break weekend.
It was a very well constructed show, undoubtedly more compact than their March
event. It built unusually well with each match getting a stronger crowd response
than the one that preceded it. As previously noted, it’s not about work rate in
Cedartown, it’s about atmosphere out the wazoo. All of the matches hit their
allotted time marks on the button, and it was over by 10:30 – under 2 & ½ hours.
Purks lists a 7:30 bell time, but lately, they’re lucky to start by 8. They did
the autograph & photo deal with Nash before the show and the line for him was
impressive to say the least. I’m guessing several hundred all tolled.
It started with Kevin Nash and Air Paris entered the ring to a major pop. There
are big guys and then there’s Nash. It had been years since I had seen him live
(I was in the building when he made his Omni debut as one of the Master
Blasters, green as they come), and for 50 years old, he’s one hell of an
impressive physical specimen, with the face and physique of a far younger man.
It’s a crying shame about those 80 year old knees. Nash was casually attired –
t-shirt, cargo shorts and deck shoes. Terry Lawler and Alexander the Great came
to ringside. Meanwhile, their partners in crime and the team facing Paris and
Nash in the main event, David Young and Purks Heavyweight Champion Bobby Hayes
attacked from the rear. Paris and Nash were ready for them, and crowd popped
huge for heels colliding in stereo. Paris said let’s do it now. The heel faction
backed off.
(1) Chris Ganzer beat Terry Lawler in 7:41. Lukewarm response for Ganzer,
one half of the former Purks tag team champions. The veteran Lawler was all mind
game and underhanded tactics early on. He has a little Jake the Snake in him
with that sly grin. Ganzer won a battle of backslides. Lawler hit a hangman
neckbreaker to take control, cutting off Ganzer’s comebacks. Lawler refused to
allow the pin after a top rope elbow, then got nonchalant to the extreme with a
one hand cover. Ganzer scored a flash pin with an inside cradle. Just OK. It
hasn’t been a problem when he tags with Lightning, but as a singles performer,
Ganzer lacks fire and he’s not going to blow anybody away with his athletic
ability.
Purks needs to upgrade talent sooner rather than later, so they’re ready if and
when the star-of-the-month formula runs its course. Put someone like a Steven
Walters from NWA Anarchy in the above match, and it could have really taken off.
I can see a manager with the right kind of mic skills getting nuclear heat in
Cedartown. But I digress...
(2) John Arden beat Exotic Ones (Simon Sermon & Tommy Too Much with Jackie
Rosedale) via DQ in 10:24. When they did the angle in March to set this up,
Arden challenged either of the Exotics, but doing a handicap match was the right
way to go. Crowd was buzzing as Exotics made their flamboyant entrance wearing
Mardi Gras style gladiator masks. Crowd was into Arden’s 400 pound power moves
that had the Exotics in disarray. Arden stacked Exotics in the dreaded
north-south position and splashed the both of them. Fans chanted for one more,
so Arden gave Simon a senton backsplash. Exotics finally got 3 on 1 heat on
Arden. The crowd popped for Arden’s superman-like double suplex. Arden ripped
his t-shirt off. Simon took a Flair flip bump and went up top to take the slam.
This was done in super slow motion. Arden really milked it and when it was over,
Sermon was done. Rosedale distracted the ref, allowing Too Much to switch in
undetected. Arden kicked out of his roll up, and it became a three on one
beatdown for the DQ. Crowd was really heated at the finish.
The returning Adam Arden made the save for brother John. Sermon did some pissed
off mic work. Ardens challenged Exotics to a rematch on May 8.
(3) Chris Lightning beat Alexander the Great in 10:03 after inteference by a
masked Too Tall Shortts. Lawler and Alexander made fun of Lightning’s size,
and said they were going to get rid of another little man (alluding to Shortts
losing a loser leaves town last month). Hot start, as Lightning surprised
Alexander with a dive to the outside, then nailed him right in the mush with a
springboard spinkick. Alexander had seen enough of the flying junk. He pulled
Lightning off the middle rope, dumping him on the back of his head. Similar
layout the first match, except the crowd was red hot for all of Lightning’s
comebacks. He doesn't have a great look for an undersized babyface, but his
heart and fire go a long way here. Lightning hit slingshot sunset flip with an
assist from ref Spanky Emerson. Alexander cut him off with a variation of the
Blue Thunder Bomb. Lightning sold a groin stomp like he wasn't going to be able
to continue. Lightning took a full rotation bump on a back suplex, landing on
his face and chest. Lightning got his knees up on Alexander’s quebrada. He got a
big near fall with Sliced Bread, but missed with the 450. With the match in his
grasp, Alexander was distracted by a masked midget and got rolled up for the
1-2-3. Crowd went nuts for the finish. Good match.
(4) Adam Jacobs beat Shaun Banks in 9:16. Jacobs was making his Purks
debut. He has great presence as a heel, and the people took an instant dislike
to him. He also happens to be an excellent worker. Jacobs stalled and
complained. When he tried a flippy armbar reversal, Banks punched him in the
nose. Some stiff shots in this match. Jacobs came out of it with a black eye.
Banks momentarily fell victim to the fake handshake. Jacobs bailed after a
dropkick that missed, the one obviously bad spot in the match. Banks took a
backdrop on the floor, landing with a sick thud. No pads at the Purks. Back
inside, Jacobs ducked a high crossbody and pointed at his brain. Jacobs missed
bigtime flying into the corner, but cut Banks off with a spike DDT. Crowd was
clapping and stomping for a comeback. They got one, as Banks hit a superplex.
Both down for a count of eight. Banks crashed and burned on a top rope elbow,
and Jacobs pinned him clean with a springboard downward spiral. Best match of
the night. Jacobs was made as a top level guy right off the bat.
Jacobs said he was the new man in town, and Banks was just a step in his ladder
to the top. “Because I’m all that, Cedartown, and you’re not.†Ring announcer
Josh Hayes said there would be a rematch on May 8. That prompted a sneak attack
by Jacobs, and Banks clocked him a good one.
Abyss was announced as coming in for the next event on May 8. My initial
reaction was that he was not a good choice for sustaining attendance, but I had
to revise that opinion by the end of the evening.
[b]Nash got the biggest intro pop of the night. Paris started out. He did the
headscissors/headlock takeover deal on Young and Hayes. Paris caused a series of
heel miscues, then hit a flip dive to the floor and pointed to heavens ala Sabu.
Nash blitzed Hayes with punches and corner knees. Nash took a bump off of a
Hayes lariat. It looked fine, because the Purks champion is no small man by any
means. Hayes worked Nash over on the ground for a bit. Nash caught Hayes with a
back elbow and tagged, and the real heat was on Paris. Hayes posted him. The
heels lured Nash in to distract Spanky, and gave Paris a double back bodydrop.
Hayes hit a spinebuster slam for a near fall. Young hit a running frog splash
for another. Young ate it off the top, and Paris hot-tagged Nash for the house
cleaning. Nash flattened Hayes with a sidewalk slam, and tagged Paris in apply
the finishing touch, a guillotine leg drop. Good match. Nash did about what you
would expect, which was enough to satisfy the fans in Cedartown.
Afterwards, Hayes nailed Nash with the title belt. Alexander and Lawler joined
in to make it four against two. Rosedale passed a chair into the ring. Hayes
gave Paris a piledriver on the chair. Young gave him a second spike piledriver
onto the chair. The entire babyface side of the dressing room hit the ring.
Paris did a stretcher job, the right way – EMTs, cervical collar, backboard,
stretcher ride out of the building and whisked away in ambulance. People were
standing in silence as this was going on. Promoter Byron Slaughter came to
ringside. It held the fans attention straight through to the announcement that
Bobby Hayes would have to face Abyss on May 8. Hayes has escaped serious
punishment. Abyss might be just the guy to give him some.
NOTES: Along with Abyss vs. Hayes, Jacobs vs. Banks and Hardcore Properties vs.
Exotic Ones, former TNA star Chris Harris makes his Purks debut on May 8…Bill
Behrens was helping out backstage, as well as ing pre-show announcements…The
event was once again taped by David Pierce. Unfortunately, the battery power on
his handheld gave out and he was unable to get footage of Paris going out to the
ambulance.
