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NWA Anarchy rebounded in a huge way with their television taping last night at the NWA Arena in Cornelia, Ga.
Jerry Palmer’s tenure as NWA Anarchy owner ends on April 9 at Hardcore Hell, and as he promised, it appears the circus will be in town for the duration. Last night’s show featured two title changes and the return of several more prominent names from Anarchy’s past. All four titles have changed hands since Bill Behrens returned two weeks ago to head up creative for the final run.
Being that my trips to Cornelia for TV tapings have been few and far between over the last six months, I can’t say for certain, but I’m going to hazard a guess that it was the best Anarchy taping since before Hostile Environment in July. I enjoyed the last two matches more than any of the matches at Season’s Beatings.
The attendance was 115. Fun fact – it was the first time in the history of the building a TV taping drew more people than the major event that preceded it. Not by much and Season’s Beating had a larger gate due to the increased admission price. But still.
John Johnson introduced Aaron Camaro (NWA Main Event and other Nashville promotions) as his new broadcast partner. Camaro was well received. Ring announcer Timmy D then directed our attention to Palmer on the WrestleVision screen. Palmer said that after 6 years, this was the final ride for him but not for NWA Anarchy. He was joined by Shadow Jackson. Palmer hyped the main event – Jackson & Shatter vs. Se7en & Nemesis.
(1) Youth Gone Wild (Anthony Henry & Dustin Knight) beat CB Gibson & Tommy Daniels in 5:36. Good pop for YWG. Crowd had some spark during this match, which was mostly Henry and Gibson (an APW guy). Henry used a spinning inverted Gori Special that was visually stunning. Henry got the Texas Cloverleaf on Gibson, but Daniels broke it up. Finish was a combo version of the GTS on Gibson. It looked quite devastating.
John Johnson and Enoch Tsarion appeared on the WrestleVision. It seems Johnson had enlisted the services of Jacoby Boykins and proposed joining forces with Tsarion and his man, Skirra Corvus for the upcoming six man match. Tsarion said he wasn’t an idiot. He got the strength in numbers concept. A tracking shot followed the two managerial geniuses to where they came upon Aden Chambers. Johnson took the lead in securing Chambers’ services. Tsarion didn’t care for Johnson acting like the boss. Chambers agreed to do the match but was left scratching his head about Johnson and Tsarion. This segment did more to get Chambers over than the sum total of his previous Anarchy appearances. The return of the big screen segments is a big step in the right direction. Used judiciously, it gives the performers a larger-than-life quality that has been sorely lacking.
(2) Skirra Korvus (with Enoch Tsarion) & Jacoby Boykins (with John Johnson) & Aden Chambers beat Lane Vasser & Johnny Dangerous & Jacob Ashworth in 11:28. They worked a fast pace early. Maybe too fast for things to sink in. Boykins and Vasser got into a “bull of the woods†contest. Boykins came across well as a heel. The Abby junior gear is a thing of the past. Ashworth was the babyface-in-peril. Chambers obnoxiously taunted Dangerous and Vasser so they would jump in to build more heat, and they just stood on the apron like they didn’t care. Nice try anyway. Off the hot tag, Vasser hit his running SSP but the pin attempt was broken up. It’s a hell of a move. Dangerous hit what was probably supposed to be somersault double ax off the top, but he barely tapped the guy on the back. All’s well that ends well, though. With referee Dee Byers distracted by the schmozz at ringside, Johnson shoved Dangerous off the top, and Korvus finished him with the Grayeyard Shift (curbstomp). The crowd was hot about the cheating.
On the Wrestlevision, we saw Attorney Jeff G. Bailey and Andrew Pendleton III. As a demonstration of his appreciation for Pendleton’s efforts, Bailey had gotten Pendleton a title match with the new NWA Anarchy Heavyweight Champion Tank. Bailey told Pendleton that he was smarter and quicker than the champion.
(3) Tank retained the NWA Anarchy Heavyweight Title over Andrew Pendleton III in 6:23. Tank is in the Dick the Bruiser role of the lovable badass that can do no wrong. Tank beat Pendleton’s ass outside the ring. Back inside, Pendleton worked on Tank’s knee. Pendleton may have bought into Bailey’s psyche job, but the crowd sure didn’t. They quietly waited for Tank to win the match. It didn’t help matters any that Pendleton’s blows looked uncharacteristically light. Tank kicked out of a ropes mounted version of Pendleton’s hammerlock uranage finisher. Pendleton pummeled Tank in frustration. Dude, if you didn’t pin him with that move, you ain’t going to. Tank hit the Chokebreaker to win the match. Tank was selling the knee on his way out.
(4) Shaun Tempers retained the NWA Anarchy TV Title versus Todd Sexton in 12:11. Sexton was cashing in his “money in the bank†shot he earned in the Lucky Seven match at Season’s Beatings. Tempers was making his first title defense. The silence was deafening during this. Nothing wrong with the work. As is typical of a Sexton match, it had an interesting lay out, but the people didn’t believe Sexton was winning, nor in their heart of hearts, did they want him to beat the new and highly entertaining heel champion. Sexton hit a nice springboard twisting crossbody. Tempers worked on Sexton’s back. Tempers started slapping him around. Sexton fired up the European forearms. They did some well executed counters and near falls that nobody really cared about. Sexton missed a diving headbutt, and Tempers hit the Tiger Driver for a near fall. Sexton busted out the Sexton Stretch, but Tempers made the ropes. Tempers went for the Temptation spray, and Brodie Chase took it away from him and Sexton hit a big kick. No reaction when Tempers kicked out. Tempers then beat Sexton clean with the hangman neckbreaker.
The return of “The Feature Presentation†Jeff Lewis opened the second hour. Not much reaction to the former NWA Anarchy Heavyweight Champion and two time NWA Anarchy Television Champion, but it’s been a number of years now. With the buzz cut, Lewis looked a lot like David Young’s former partner in Bad Company, Chris Stevens. Lewis issued an open challenge that was answered by Adrian Hawkins.
(5) Adrian Hawkins defeated Jeff Lewis in 5:33. Lewis bailed out of trouble only to get hit by a pescado. Lewis brought Hawkins off the ropes with a back suplex to take over. Hawkins broke out his signature springboard back elbow to get back on top. Lewis blocked the Unprettier, but Hawkins nailed it the second time around. Crowd popped for the finish. Otherwise not much noise. Right about now, it was feeling like just another ho hum Anarchy taping. Little did I know how drastically that was going to change.
(6) Hate Junkies (Stryknyn & Dany Only with The Reverend) beat Andrew Alexander & Billy Buck to win the NWA Anarchy Tag Team Championship in 14:33. This match turned the show around. It started as your standard tag team fare. The most memorable thing was a fan pointing out Dee Byers’ facial resemblance to Dick Chaney. Interference by the Rev set up Only for a sick backcracker on Buck. The intensity level in the building shifted into high gear and never looked back. Junkies killed Buck with the Slash & Burn (high-low double team). Crowd was behind Buck huge here. Buck finally made a true hot tag after a Samoan drop. Junkies bumped like mad for Alexander, who put the Kibosh on Stryknyn. Alexander tried for the piledriver. Stryknyn countered with the Alabama Slam, but in the process, Buck made a blind tag. He caught Stryknyn with a german suplex. Byers got bumped. Buck superkicked Stryknyn. With Byers down, Only whacked Buck and Alexander with the Rev’s cane. Stryknyn pinned Buck. These teams have consistently had good matches. This may have been the best of the bunch.
Postmatch, Alexander picked up the cane, and it looked like trouble in paradise. But the former champions ended up shaking hands.
(7) Slim J beat Bo Newsom via submission in a no DQ lumberjack match to win the NWA Anarchy Young Lion’s Championship in 12:27. This teacher vs. traitorous student feud has been brewing for months. Crowd was nuts for J and hot all the way. The heel lumberjack outnumbered the face lumberjacks 6-3. Newsom bounced to the safe haven of the heel lumberjacks. Later, Newsom threw J to the wolves. There were some stellar sequences in this match. Newsom blocked a tornado DDT and went for the brainbuster, but J countered with a suplex into the turnbuckles. J leafroggged Newsom only to get nailed right on the button by Newsom’s standing dropkick. Newsom reversed the Screwdriver on the Rocks into a spinning side slam. J hit the flying reverse DDT for a great false finish. Bo dropped J on his head with a Northern Lights Bomb variant for a near fall. The crowd was into all the near falls because this match had emotional investment. The lumberjacks started brawling. Newsom tried to use the belt, but J dumped him on top of the lumberjacks. J followed with a corkscrew plancha that sent the lumberjacks down like bowling pins. Back inside, J got the flying armbar. Tempers hit the ring. Chase ran in and gave Tempers a face full of “Temptation.†J made Newsom tap with a Mutalock. The building went crazy for the finish. Best match of the night.
Bailey led Se7en and Nemesis to the ring and cut a terrific promo. Bailey said he was going back to his roots. He brought up his lawyer days, when he defended alleged rapists, alleged drug dealers and alleged cop killers, men of integrity, not betrayers like Shatter. Bailey said Shatter was a nobody before he groomed him. He said it was a disturbing trend and referenced what happened with Kimo in ’09. In addition to getting revenge on Shatter, Bailey promised to end Jackson’s career.
(8) Shadow Jackson & Phil Shatter beat Se7en & Nemesis with (Jeff G. Bailey) via DQ in 10:53. This match also had tremendous heat. Superfan Bo had a sign that showed Bailey then and now. The then was a weasel in a leather jacket. Shatter made sure everyone in the building got to see it. As much fun as it was to see Jackson and Nemesis mix it up given all their history, the focus of the match was Shatter and Se7en. Fans have been chomping at the bit to cheer Shatter. Se7en is like a giant sized Butch Reed only with psychotic tendencies. There isn’t a manager on the independent scene as good as Bailey when it comes to developing monster heels, and Se7en is getting better every time out. Shatter did a marvelous job of selling for him. They bludgeoned each other. Shatter couldn’t knock Se7en off his feet, so he used a double leg takedown. Se7en was throwing Shatter around like he was nothing. A rejuvenated Bailey got his licks in with the Gucci loafers. Shatter finally speared Se7en and both men tagged. Jackson hit the 1031 on Nemesis and called for Shatter to deliver the PTSD. Bailey jumped on Shatter’s back. Shatter shed Bailey and was about to punch his face when he was attacked by Jay Fury~!
The postmatch was pandemonium. The Konkrete Gorillaz ran roughshod on Jackson. Se7en choked Shatter out by hanging him over the top rope with the Gorillaz’ noose. As Shatter lapsed into unconsciousness, Kimo hit the ring in street clothes. He singlehandedly drove the heels out of the ring. The show closed with Kimo and Jackson standing tall, while Bailey and his men fumed.
Bailey led Se7en and Nemesis to the ring and cut a terrific promo. Bailey said he was going back to his roots. He brought up his lawyer days, when he defended alleged rapists, alleged drug dealers and alleged cop killers, men of integrity, not betrayers like Shatter. Bailey said Shatter was a nobody before he groomed him. He said it was a disturbing trend and referenced what happened with Kimo in ’09. In addition to getting revenge on Shatter, Bailey promised to end Jackson’s career.
(8) Shadow Jackson & Phil Shatter beat Se7en & Nemesis with (Jeff G. Bailey) via DQ in 10:53. This match also had tremendous heat. Superfan Bo had a sign that showed Bailey then and now. The then was a weasel in a leather jacket. Shatter made sure everyone in the building got to see it. As much fun as it was to see Jackson and Nemesis mix it up given all their history, the focus of the match was Shatter and Se7en. Fans have been chomping at the bit to cheer Shatter. Se7en is like a giant sized Butch Reed only with psychotic tendencies. There isn’t a manager on the independent scene as good as Bailey when it comes to developing monster heels, and Se7en is getting better every time out. Shatter did a marvelous job of selling for him. They bludgeoned each other. Shatter couldn’t knock Se7en off his feet, so he used a double leg takedown. Se7en was throwing Shatter around like he was nothing. A rejuvenated Bailey got his licks in with the Gucci loafers. Shatter finally speared Se7en and both men tagged. Jackson hit the 1031 on Nemesis and called for Shatter to deliver the PTSD. Bailey jumped on Shatter’s back. Shatter shed Bailey and was about to punch his face when he was attacked by Jay Fury~!
The postmatch was pandemonium. The Konkrete Gorillaz ran roughshod on Jackson. Se7en choked Shatter out by hanging him over the top rope with the Gorillaz’ noose. As Shatter lapsed into unconsciousness, Kimo hit the ring in street clothes. He singlehandedly drove the heels out of the ring. The show closed with Kimo and Jackson standing tall, while Bailey and his men fumed.
NOTES: Palmer announced the deadline for written offers to purchase the company as February 1 at 5pm. Palmer confirmed that he has written offers already in hand and anticipates several more before the deadline…Platinum Championship Wrestling owner Stephen Platinum has publically stated his interest in buying the company, however, the press conference PCW scheduled after their January 27 even is unrelated to Anarchy…J.D. Costello, owner of the now defunct NWA Charlotte promotion, made noises on his Facebook page about offering $1 more than the highest offer…AJ Styles is not one of the potential buyers. Styles is supporting his brother’s new MMA promotion, Fight Fusion Entertainment, which has its first event at the Gainesville Mountain Center on February 18…Referee Ken Wallace is on the DL due to a bizarre injury. He woke up on the day of the show with severe pain and swelling in his foot without any known cause… Speaking of bizarre injuries, Bailey was struck with a bout of severe cramping in his rib area during his promo. This was most likely due to excessive growling …Jeff Lewis had been a regular with Ricky Nelson’s NWA Mid Atlantic promotion of late…NWA Chattanooga ran a highly successful event in Soddy Daisy, TN Friday night. Dan Wilson and company drew their best house yet, a paid 250, at the Soddy Daisy Middle School with Shatter vs. Tank for the NWA National Title on top. On the day of the show, they did a match during a school pep rally. This included an angle in which school principal, Tobin Davidson, was named as the special referee for the main event. Davidson once won a WCW sponsored Goldberg look alike contest. The next NWA Chattanooga event is February 18…Attendance at the Friday night Alternative Pro Wrestling events in Royston has picked up significantly. Gibson is the latest on a lengthy list of Anarchy wrestlers that came through APW…Camaro may or may not have a regular spot as the NWA Anarchy play-by-play announcer. That ball is in the court of Georgia Announcer of the Year, Greg Hunter, who is currently on an indefinite leave of absence…This was most likely due to excessive growling…The next Anarchy taping is on February 12.
