July 8, 2007
– Larry Goodman
Georgia Wrestling Promotions ran their “Rage in the Cage� summer spectacular at the Waleska Ballfield Sunday night.
It was a double main event: two titles matches, both inside a steel cage. And both matches saw new champions crowned in kick ass
fashion. GWP had not distinguished itself up until that point. In fact, it was shaping up to be a relatively nutsty show. But Hollywood
Brunettes vs. Regular Guys was surprisingly good. They brought the violence and a story well-told. Shaun Tempers and Slim J was as
good as advertised.
Attendance was 100. Not to bad for a day that started like the weather might force a cancellation.
Outdoors shows are a plus/minus in my book. There’s something to be said for the ambience of an outdoor show under the lights.
But you need a bigger crowd to get heat. The sound tends to evaporates in the open air.
Demolition Ax (Bill Eadie) did autograph signings before the show. As Masked Superstar, Eadie was a four-time NWA Georgia
Heavyweight Champion between 1979 and 1981.
(1) Leatherface (with anonymous masked guy) pinned Loco Motive (with Ace Heffner) with a choke slam in 5:11
Leatherface had the requisite chain saw. When it comes to pro wrestling monsters, exaggeration is the norm, but Leatherface was
announced at 6-8, and he couldn’t have been more than 6-2. This was the lowest form of indie garbage. I’ve seen 31 matches in
the last four days. This was by far the worst.
(2) Crash ‘N Burn (Jason Hampton & J. T. Tallent with Jay Clinton) beat Chris Lightning & D. L. Norris in 9:08
Along with being a ref and wrestler, Clinton has added a gimmick as a flaming f*g**t to his resume. Lightning had his moments, as
worked almost the entire way for the babyface side. Norris finally got to clean house. Clinton interfered. Norris chased Clinton. Hampton
pinned Lightning, not the legal man, with a uranage. At least it was a step up from the opening match.
(3) Hellbillies (Jessco Blue & Timbo Bryant) beat S & M (Caleb Konley & Andrew Pendleton III) in a Falls Count Anywhere match (10:
44)
Pendleton cut a promo in which he degraded the great state of Georgia and guaranteed victory to settle the feud. Hillbillies were billed as
being from “Dirty White Boy� Tony Anthony’s old home town of Bucksnort, Tennessee. They rode out to the ring in a Jeep. This
match took full advantage of the rules, as they fought all over the park. The finish was memorable. Bryant leapt off the roof of a building
that was about 12 feet up and had to clear a fence to land on S & M. I had visions of Bryant impaling himself on the fence. He cleared it
well. I couldn’t see the landing, but everyone appeared to be OK.
(4) “Soul Assassin� Kory Chavis (with Aaron Voight) beat Adrian Hawkins (with Amy Allure) in 11:25
Voight said Chavis was on loan from Jeff G. Bailey. Hawkins was the choice of GWP Commissioner Jerry Palmer. Good match. Chavis
was stiff with him, and Hawkins was up for it. They did some even steven stuff. Then Chavis made Hawkins his pregnant dog. Palmer
came to ringside. Chavis went to the Spinesplitta, but Hawkins kicked out. Hawkins hit a missile dropkick for a double down. Comeback
time. Hawkins hit a good springboard back elbow. The flying crossbody not so much. Chavis hit a cool spiral faceplant for a near fall.
Hawkins did his neckbreaker into a snap suplex to set up his Unprettier. Chavis reversed it with the Dark City Street Cutter. Hawkins
wasn’t getting up from that. It was the best match of the undercard; not there was a whole lot of competition. Hawkins wasn’t
getting up from that. Allure slapped Voight. Allure is more than attractive enough, but she badly needs to develop more ring presence.
The postmatch segued into a helluva pull apart brawl between Palmer and Chavis. Palmer speared Chavis and it was on. Security hit the
ring like they meant it and got them separated. Chavis was talking trash, saying that he ran Georgia. Palmer waded in him to spark
another wild melee. With order restored, Chavis headed to the back. Palmer tackled him, and it looked like a rugby scrum on the outfield
grass. None of that weak nuts that sometimes passes for a pull apart on indie shows. This was one great angle.
Chavis rules. His return is a boost for indie wrestling in the state of Georgia. He will be a player wherever he chooses to go.
(5) Big Head Hansen defeated Maul in a Dog Collar Match (9:08)
This was dreadful stuff. They used the rules where the winner was the first to touch all four corners. I don’t think that aspect of the
match was announced and it looked stupid in the execution. They pounded on each other a lot. Maul hung Hanson and hit him with the
cowbell. Hansen bled. Hansen made an animalistic comeback that climaxed with a cowbell punch to the head. The finish was messed
up. Hansen touched three turnbuckles but for some reason hesitated at the fourth. Time stood still. The crowd could hear the ref Chris
Ganz telling Hansen to make the touch, which he finally did. Maul used the chain and the cowbell to destroy Hansen in the post match.
(6) Demolition Ax beat Iceberg (with Reverend Dan Wilson) via DQ in 6:48
Wilson said Iceberg had defeated Abdullah the Butcher and Mr. Pogo and was going to take away Ax’s legacy. Ax chipped away at
Iceberg’s massive frame until he scored the big knockdown. Iceberg sold the entire way. Ax kept asking the ref if his tactics were
legal, whilst he stretched Iceberg’s mouth and pulled on his ears. That got some laughs. Wilson used his Staff of Righteousness on
Ax. Ax stepped up his attack and choked Iceberg with the tag rope. The finish saw Wilson get in the ring. Iceberg clubbed Ax from behind
and held him. Wilson swung the staff. Ax moved. Iceberg took the blow and went down like a ton of bricks for the 1-2-3.
(7) Hollywood Brunettes (Kyle Matthews & Andrew Alexander) beat Regular Guys (Bobby Hill & Tyler Smith) in a steel cage match to
win the GWP Southern Tag Team Titles (14:38)
Rules were that both members of the team had to escape to secure victory. Hill was Mr. Intensity throughout the match. Guys wore
Matthews out. They hiptossed him over the top and into the cage. Brunettes kept bolting for the door and being cut off. Hill went for a
spear and tasted steel. Smith missed bigtime on a moonsault. Matthews tried to climb out but Smith suplexed him off the top. Hill and
Alexander left the cage to battle on the outside, so both were eliminated. Smith was within inches of escaping for the win, but Bailey
slammed the cage door on his face, a tribute to that classic Michael Hayes moment from World Class Wrestling. Smith got good color.
Referee Marshall Law threw Bailey out. Alexander wasted Hill with a chairshot and got back inside. Brunettes gave Smith a beating. Hill
wanted back in, but Alexander used a chair to keep him at bay. Smith made a comeback and tried to climb out, but Alexander cut him off
with super Russian legsweep. Hill slugged the ref and climbed back inside. Hill repeatedly sent Alexander’s head into the cage.
Alexander hit a gusher. This was serious blood. Guys both climbed for the escape. But with the ref down, Bailey had slimed his way back
to ringside. He slipped a vial to Alexander, who managed to blind Guys with the powder. Smith managed to escape, but Hill fell to the
mat. Matthews escaped and pulled Hill out the door just beyond the reach of Hill’s desperate grasp. Alexander was wearing the
crimson mask. Wow. This match way exceeded my modest expectations. Great storytelling. Props to all four on an all out effort.
(8) Slim J beat Shaun Tempers (with Wilson) inside a steel cage to win the GWP Southern Title (14:15)
From all reports, these two have had great matches. Slim is one of the most respected guys around. His accomplishments speak for
themselves. But Tempers has come on to become a main event level guy. J came out wailing away on Tempers, leaving no doubt that
this was going to be stiff. Tempers hoisted J’s noggin into the cage at the two minute mark. J juiced. Tempers started grinding Jâ
€™s head into the cage. Wilson taunted Slimmy. J tried for the corkscrew Ace crusher, but Tempers smashed him into the cage.
Tempers beat on J until it looked like the little guy was done. Tempers hit a big powerslam, but J was able to kick out. Wilson tossed the
staff in to Tempers, but J ducked the shot and nailed him with a crescent kick. J gave Tempers a round of face first shots into the cage
and a shot with the staff. Tempers bled. Tempers kicked out a sidewalk slam and hit a hangman neckbreaker. J kicked out of that. J
fought off the Tiger Bomb and hit the corkscrew Ace crusher for one false finish. Tempers hit the Tiger Bomb from hell, but J rolled a
shoulder. They battled on the top rope. Tempers took a massive back bump off the top. J climbed to the top of the cage and nailed a flying
reverse DDT. Great finish. Celebration time in Waleska.
After the match, a fan grabbed Wilson’s staff and made a run for it. Security had to chase the culprit all the way across the baseball
field to get it back. Wilson should have let the guy keep it for all the good it did him on this night. Perhaps the good shepherd needs to go
back to the drawing board at The Compound.
NOTES:
GWP returns to Waleska on 7/14 with Brunettes vs. The Hellbillies for the tag titles, the new Southern Heavyweight Champion, Slim J vs.
Konley in a non-title match, Tempers vs. "Skater Boy" Chris King, Chavis vs. Hansen, Guys vs. Crash & Burn and former Mrs. Olympia &
International Fitness Model Melissa Coates vs. Brandy Scotch-Baker. Buff Bagwell is booked GWP on 7/29 at the same location…GWP
owner Roger Cantrell is looking at several options for an indoor venue in the Canton area…APW has a 30 man battle royal to determine
the number on contender for Simon Sermon’s APW Title on 7/13 in Royston. Their next super show, “Freedom Fight� takes
place on 7/27…The NWA Anarchy television taping, their first show back in Cornelia since Hostile Environment, drew 210. There were
said to be many new faces in the crowd…They had a birthday party for Palmer after the show. His birthday is actually 7/12.
– Larry Goodman
Georgia Wrestling Promotions ran their “Rage in the Cage� summer spectacular at the Waleska Ballfield Sunday night.
It was a double main event: two titles matches, both inside a steel cage. And both matches saw new champions crowned in kick ass
fashion. GWP had not distinguished itself up until that point. In fact, it was shaping up to be a relatively nutsty show. But Hollywood
Brunettes vs. Regular Guys was surprisingly good. They brought the violence and a story well-told. Shaun Tempers and Slim J was as
good as advertised.
Attendance was 100. Not to bad for a day that started like the weather might force a cancellation.
Outdoors shows are a plus/minus in my book. There’s something to be said for the ambience of an outdoor show under the lights.
But you need a bigger crowd to get heat. The sound tends to evaporates in the open air.
Demolition Ax (Bill Eadie) did autograph signings before the show. As Masked Superstar, Eadie was a four-time NWA Georgia
Heavyweight Champion between 1979 and 1981.
(1) Leatherface (with anonymous masked guy) pinned Loco Motive (with Ace Heffner) with a choke slam in 5:11
Leatherface had the requisite chain saw. When it comes to pro wrestling monsters, exaggeration is the norm, but Leatherface was
announced at 6-8, and he couldn’t have been more than 6-2. This was the lowest form of indie garbage. I’ve seen 31 matches in
the last four days. This was by far the worst.
(2) Crash ‘N Burn (Jason Hampton & J. T. Tallent with Jay Clinton) beat Chris Lightning & D. L. Norris in 9:08
Along with being a ref and wrestler, Clinton has added a gimmick as a flaming f*g**t to his resume. Lightning had his moments, as
worked almost the entire way for the babyface side. Norris finally got to clean house. Clinton interfered. Norris chased Clinton. Hampton
pinned Lightning, not the legal man, with a uranage. At least it was a step up from the opening match.
(3) Hellbillies (Jessco Blue & Timbo Bryant) beat S & M (Caleb Konley & Andrew Pendleton III) in a Falls Count Anywhere match (10:
44)
Pendleton cut a promo in which he degraded the great state of Georgia and guaranteed victory to settle the feud. Hillbillies were billed as
being from “Dirty White Boy� Tony Anthony’s old home town of Bucksnort, Tennessee. They rode out to the ring in a Jeep. This
match took full advantage of the rules, as they fought all over the park. The finish was memorable. Bryant leapt off the roof of a building
that was about 12 feet up and had to clear a fence to land on S & M. I had visions of Bryant impaling himself on the fence. He cleared it
well. I couldn’t see the landing, but everyone appeared to be OK.
(4) “Soul Assassin� Kory Chavis (with Aaron Voight) beat Adrian Hawkins (with Amy Allure) in 11:25
Voight said Chavis was on loan from Jeff G. Bailey. Hawkins was the choice of GWP Commissioner Jerry Palmer. Good match. Chavis
was stiff with him, and Hawkins was up for it. They did some even steven stuff. Then Chavis made Hawkins his pregnant dog. Palmer
came to ringside. Chavis went to the Spinesplitta, but Hawkins kicked out. Hawkins hit a missile dropkick for a double down. Comeback
time. Hawkins hit a good springboard back elbow. The flying crossbody not so much. Chavis hit a cool spiral faceplant for a near fall.
Hawkins did his neckbreaker into a snap suplex to set up his Unprettier. Chavis reversed it with the Dark City Street Cutter. Hawkins
wasn’t getting up from that. It was the best match of the undercard; not there was a whole lot of competition. Hawkins wasn’t
getting up from that. Allure slapped Voight. Allure is more than attractive enough, but she badly needs to develop more ring presence.
The postmatch segued into a helluva pull apart brawl between Palmer and Chavis. Palmer speared Chavis and it was on. Security hit the
ring like they meant it and got them separated. Chavis was talking trash, saying that he ran Georgia. Palmer waded in him to spark
another wild melee. With order restored, Chavis headed to the back. Palmer tackled him, and it looked like a rugby scrum on the outfield
grass. None of that weak nuts that sometimes passes for a pull apart on indie shows. This was one great angle.
Chavis rules. His return is a boost for indie wrestling in the state of Georgia. He will be a player wherever he chooses to go.
(5) Big Head Hansen defeated Maul in a Dog Collar Match (9:08)
This was dreadful stuff. They used the rules where the winner was the first to touch all four corners. I don’t think that aspect of the
match was announced and it looked stupid in the execution. They pounded on each other a lot. Maul hung Hanson and hit him with the
cowbell. Hansen bled. Hansen made an animalistic comeback that climaxed with a cowbell punch to the head. The finish was messed
up. Hansen touched three turnbuckles but for some reason hesitated at the fourth. Time stood still. The crowd could hear the ref Chris
Ganz telling Hansen to make the touch, which he finally did. Maul used the chain and the cowbell to destroy Hansen in the post match.
(6) Demolition Ax beat Iceberg (with Reverend Dan Wilson) via DQ in 6:48
Wilson said Iceberg had defeated Abdullah the Butcher and Mr. Pogo and was going to take away Ax’s legacy. Ax chipped away at
Iceberg’s massive frame until he scored the big knockdown. Iceberg sold the entire way. Ax kept asking the ref if his tactics were
legal, whilst he stretched Iceberg’s mouth and pulled on his ears. That got some laughs. Wilson used his Staff of Righteousness on
Ax. Ax stepped up his attack and choked Iceberg with the tag rope. The finish saw Wilson get in the ring. Iceberg clubbed Ax from behind
and held him. Wilson swung the staff. Ax moved. Iceberg took the blow and went down like a ton of bricks for the 1-2-3.
(7) Hollywood Brunettes (Kyle Matthews & Andrew Alexander) beat Regular Guys (Bobby Hill & Tyler Smith) in a steel cage match to
win the GWP Southern Tag Team Titles (14:38)
Rules were that both members of the team had to escape to secure victory. Hill was Mr. Intensity throughout the match. Guys wore
Matthews out. They hiptossed him over the top and into the cage. Brunettes kept bolting for the door and being cut off. Hill went for a
spear and tasted steel. Smith missed bigtime on a moonsault. Matthews tried to climb out but Smith suplexed him off the top. Hill and
Alexander left the cage to battle on the outside, so both were eliminated. Smith was within inches of escaping for the win, but Bailey
slammed the cage door on his face, a tribute to that classic Michael Hayes moment from World Class Wrestling. Smith got good color.
Referee Marshall Law threw Bailey out. Alexander wasted Hill with a chairshot and got back inside. Brunettes gave Smith a beating. Hill
wanted back in, but Alexander used a chair to keep him at bay. Smith made a comeback and tried to climb out, but Alexander cut him off
with super Russian legsweep. Hill slugged the ref and climbed back inside. Hill repeatedly sent Alexander’s head into the cage.
Alexander hit a gusher. This was serious blood. Guys both climbed for the escape. But with the ref down, Bailey had slimed his way back
to ringside. He slipped a vial to Alexander, who managed to blind Guys with the powder. Smith managed to escape, but Hill fell to the
mat. Matthews escaped and pulled Hill out the door just beyond the reach of Hill’s desperate grasp. Alexander was wearing the
crimson mask. Wow. This match way exceeded my modest expectations. Great storytelling. Props to all four on an all out effort.
(8) Slim J beat Shaun Tempers (with Wilson) inside a steel cage to win the GWP Southern Title (14:15)
From all reports, these two have had great matches. Slim is one of the most respected guys around. His accomplishments speak for
themselves. But Tempers has come on to become a main event level guy. J came out wailing away on Tempers, leaving no doubt that
this was going to be stiff. Tempers hoisted J’s noggin into the cage at the two minute mark. J juiced. Tempers started grinding Jâ
€™s head into the cage. Wilson taunted Slimmy. J tried for the corkscrew Ace crusher, but Tempers smashed him into the cage.
Tempers beat on J until it looked like the little guy was done. Tempers hit a big powerslam, but J was able to kick out. Wilson tossed the
staff in to Tempers, but J ducked the shot and nailed him with a crescent kick. J gave Tempers a round of face first shots into the cage
and a shot with the staff. Tempers bled. Tempers kicked out a sidewalk slam and hit a hangman neckbreaker. J kicked out of that. J
fought off the Tiger Bomb and hit the corkscrew Ace crusher for one false finish. Tempers hit the Tiger Bomb from hell, but J rolled a
shoulder. They battled on the top rope. Tempers took a massive back bump off the top. J climbed to the top of the cage and nailed a flying
reverse DDT. Great finish. Celebration time in Waleska.
After the match, a fan grabbed Wilson’s staff and made a run for it. Security had to chase the culprit all the way across the baseball
field to get it back. Wilson should have let the guy keep it for all the good it did him on this night. Perhaps the good shepherd needs to go
back to the drawing board at The Compound.
NOTES:
GWP returns to Waleska on 7/14 with Brunettes vs. The Hellbillies for the tag titles, the new Southern Heavyweight Champion, Slim J vs.
Konley in a non-title match, Tempers vs. "Skater Boy" Chris King, Chavis vs. Hansen, Guys vs. Crash & Burn and former Mrs. Olympia &
International Fitness Model Melissa Coates vs. Brandy Scotch-Baker. Buff Bagwell is booked GWP on 7/29 at the same location…GWP
owner Roger Cantrell is looking at several options for an indoor venue in the Canton area…APW has a 30 man battle royal to determine
the number on contender for Simon Sermon’s APW Title on 7/13 in Royston. Their next super show, “Freedom Fight� takes
place on 7/27…The NWA Anarchy television taping, their first show back in Cornelia since Hostile Environment, drew 210. There were
said to be many new faces in the crowd…They had a birthday party for Palmer after the show. His birthday is actually 7/12.
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