M
MrCharisma
Guest
Written by Chris Walker-Bush
I was sitting right next to him but couldn't be arsed writting a report
The fifth and final Australian Wrestling Supershow, and what better way to lose my ‘live wrestling cherry’ than with some of Australia’s biggest stars in action. After settling into our seats (just one row back on the entrance side) we were greeted by the gorgeous Bombshells. Sure, their dancing wasn’t always in sync, but did anybody really care? Next out were Mark Williamson and Julian James, who were just amusing all night long. Sure, they might not have called every move, but their back and forth banter had me laughing for most of the night. In particular, some of James’ more outlandish observations were one of the night’s highlights.
The first match of the night was the aptly named ‘Hardcore Four’ featuring Birdman Picasso, Cannonball Taylor, Crofty the Klepto, and Jass. For what it was, this was a good way to start the show. None of the guys really had an ideal wrestling physique, but they took some fairly stiff looking shots that got the crowd excited. I can’t recall who it was, but somebody got beaned over the head and shattered the tray as well. Birdman Picasso was amusing, strutting around and doing his whole ‘flapping’ thing for the kids at ringside. There was big support for Jass in this one, although he didn’t really show me any reason for it. Crofty stood out with some good offence, before Cannonball did his ‘Goldberg thing’ and Speared him for the 1-2-3. Decent enough match, although the ending was a little anticlimactic.
Next out was the match MrCharisma and I had really been looking forward to, having heard a lot of good things about Scarecrow. His look definitely lived up to the hype, and his clash with Stephen James was good. Both guys look like the real deal, and there was some good mat wrestling early on. A fair few spots in this one, with both guys really impressing. Scarecrow picked up the win here. Was hilarious watching James react to the crowd booing him silly after the match.
The next match up was the highly anticipated three way between Slex, Will Phoenix, and ‘The Sensation’ Jayson Cooper. Truthfully, I’d never heard of Cooper before this match, but he certainly impressed me with probably the best high spots of the night. His senton to the outside was just intense, given that the floor of the Panthers wasn’t exactly well covered. I want to have Ruby’s babies, and I’ll be damned if I’ll let something like my lack of a womb and her lack of male genitalia stop me. Bishop Summers was also pretty funny at ringside, although neither heel valet got involved like a true manager should.
Up until this point, this match was easily the standout, with all three men pulling off some great things. Slex’s suicide dive to the outside was crazy, and whilst Will Phoenix was outclassed, he certainly didn’t look bad in this one. Ultimately Slex picked up the win, which wasn’t what the pro-face crowd wanted, but I could dig it.
My main criticism of the night thus far would have been the lack of any real ‘characters’. Whilst Birdman Picasso and Scarecrow are obvious in what they are, we didn’t get any promos. All of the heels relied on generic heel stuff to get heat such as faking handshakes or sneering at the crowd. That’s all well and good, but a promo or two would have been good. I was actually looking forward to seeing the likes of Slex and Lobo on the mike, and it was disappointing not to see that.
After this clash was the interestingly titled Segregated Six (featuring Mad Dog, Steve Ravenous, Warlock, Foxx, Brett Brady, and Billy Cole), which I had been looking forward to due to the presence of guys like Warlock and Foxx. Sadly, this was easily the lowlight of the evening. Warlock didn’t show off any of the stuff I’d been hearing about him, even botching a spot to the outside (and consequently having to re-do it). Another problem with this match was the tagging. A blind tag or two is fine, but they were coming thick and fast (mixed in with ‘tags’ that were punches) – and it got to the point that it was just sh*t. I’m all for one guy ‘tagging’ another with a punch – but only once. I swear, there were less legitimate tags in this than ‘trick’ ones. What resulted was a messy and ultimately sh*tty match. No disrespect to the workers involved, but the whole thing had very little going for it. Mad Dog picked up the win, but nobody really gave a damn.
INTERMISSION
I went to the merchandise stands for a look, but the only stuff I considered buying (TNA DVDs) were just a little too pricey for mine.
We get back from the break and it’s TNT vs. Rob Matrix. Both guys are experienced beyond Australia, so I’m actually looking forward to this bout. Some great technical wrestling and chain wrestling in this one. From a purist’s standpoint, this was the best match of the night (wrestling wise, that is). Was a little confused by TNT. Was he supposed to be a face or a heel? Him spitting on a little girl in the front row was pretty sh*thouse, while we’re on it. There were some good spots in this one, as you’d expect, although TNT botching a twisting senton was a little disappointing. That’s live wrestling, though. Rob Matrix really impressed me in this one, and got the crowd pleasing win after a lengthy and enjoyable ‘legitimate’ match.
Next out were Mark Mercedes and Steve Frost for their match. Mercedes got on the mike and earned cheap heat by bad-mouthing the Newcastle Knights and Newcastle in general. A decent enough promo, but I’d have been happier if more matches had started this way. From a first time viewer’s standpoint, it was sometimes hard to decide who was the bad guy. Either way, this clash was pretty slow. Some decent spots, but nothing to write home about. A ******ing confusing ending spoiled it, and then suddenly the whole place flooded (and I mean flooded) with workers. There were close to thirty or forty guys brawling in the ring, up on the stage, and around the ring. Cue the ‘Great Aussie Pub Brawl’.
Now, this match was cool, but I had problems with it as well. Firstly, there was so much going on that you missed some pretty damn cool offence. Cletus (or Retus) hit the Canadian Destroyer at one point, and it got lost in the brawling around the ring. There were pieces of keyboards flying everywhere, and whilst it made for a cool spectacle, it would have been better if the focus hadn’t been so split. The end came with Scarecrow putting someone through a table for the 1-2-3. Decent bout, but some better organization would have made it really stand out.
Inexplicably, we had the national anthem. Why was this being sung so far into the show? I guess to hype up the main event? I don’t know. Lauren Atkins is hot. She can also have my babies. Or I’ll have hers. Whatever works.
The final match of the evening was the ‘Career vs. Career’ match between Lee Starr and Lobo. I’d heard heaps about both workers, particularly Lobo, and was disappointed that such a big match (loser retires) didn’t even have a pre-match promo or two. But damn, this match was my highlight of the night. Why? Because it told a story! We all knew that one worker would retire, and that meant something. A lot of the other matches felt like throwaway showcase matches, which is exactly what they were, but this one had some emotion in it. From Lee Starr’s early decision to leave right through to watching both workers bleed for the crowd. There were some great spots, and Lobo sure moves well for a guy his size. I suspected that Lee Starr would go over here, given Lobo’s outside interests (outside the ring, that is) but at points it was hard to guess. Both guys hit big moves, and both guys made last second kick outs. That impressed me. The art of the late kick-out is one that few can really master. The Rock did it well, but a lot of ‘rookie’ main eventers seem to go early. These two literally had you convinced it was over, and then they’d kick out. It made for a great match which Lee Starr ultimately won. It was an epic though, and I personally picked it as my match of the night – narrowly beating out the three way dance.
All in all – I had a great night, and it was disappointing to know it will be the last. Newcastle’s wrestling scene is absolutely sh*t (ironic, given that Canberra has one and isn’t nearly as big or as close to Sydney), and on top of that, what are my chances of seeing out of state stars like Lee Starr, Jayson Cooper, and Crofty now?
Still, I had an awesome time, and would definitely go again if a show came to Newcastle. Hell, I’m begging some of the Sydney feds to come to Newie more often. The crowd may not have been huge (according to Andy something close to 470) – but it was vocal and we all had a great night. Except for that poor girl who got spit on.
I was sitting right next to him but couldn't be arsed writting a report
The fifth and final Australian Wrestling Supershow, and what better way to lose my ‘live wrestling cherry’ than with some of Australia’s biggest stars in action. After settling into our seats (just one row back on the entrance side) we were greeted by the gorgeous Bombshells. Sure, their dancing wasn’t always in sync, but did anybody really care? Next out were Mark Williamson and Julian James, who were just amusing all night long. Sure, they might not have called every move, but their back and forth banter had me laughing for most of the night. In particular, some of James’ more outlandish observations were one of the night’s highlights.
The first match of the night was the aptly named ‘Hardcore Four’ featuring Birdman Picasso, Cannonball Taylor, Crofty the Klepto, and Jass. For what it was, this was a good way to start the show. None of the guys really had an ideal wrestling physique, but they took some fairly stiff looking shots that got the crowd excited. I can’t recall who it was, but somebody got beaned over the head and shattered the tray as well. Birdman Picasso was amusing, strutting around and doing his whole ‘flapping’ thing for the kids at ringside. There was big support for Jass in this one, although he didn’t really show me any reason for it. Crofty stood out with some good offence, before Cannonball did his ‘Goldberg thing’ and Speared him for the 1-2-3. Decent enough match, although the ending was a little anticlimactic.
Next out was the match MrCharisma and I had really been looking forward to, having heard a lot of good things about Scarecrow. His look definitely lived up to the hype, and his clash with Stephen James was good. Both guys look like the real deal, and there was some good mat wrestling early on. A fair few spots in this one, with both guys really impressing. Scarecrow picked up the win here. Was hilarious watching James react to the crowd booing him silly after the match.
The next match up was the highly anticipated three way between Slex, Will Phoenix, and ‘The Sensation’ Jayson Cooper. Truthfully, I’d never heard of Cooper before this match, but he certainly impressed me with probably the best high spots of the night. His senton to the outside was just intense, given that the floor of the Panthers wasn’t exactly well covered. I want to have Ruby’s babies, and I’ll be damned if I’ll let something like my lack of a womb and her lack of male genitalia stop me. Bishop Summers was also pretty funny at ringside, although neither heel valet got involved like a true manager should.
Up until this point, this match was easily the standout, with all three men pulling off some great things. Slex’s suicide dive to the outside was crazy, and whilst Will Phoenix was outclassed, he certainly didn’t look bad in this one. Ultimately Slex picked up the win, which wasn’t what the pro-face crowd wanted, but I could dig it.
My main criticism of the night thus far would have been the lack of any real ‘characters’. Whilst Birdman Picasso and Scarecrow are obvious in what they are, we didn’t get any promos. All of the heels relied on generic heel stuff to get heat such as faking handshakes or sneering at the crowd. That’s all well and good, but a promo or two would have been good. I was actually looking forward to seeing the likes of Slex and Lobo on the mike, and it was disappointing not to see that.
After this clash was the interestingly titled Segregated Six (featuring Mad Dog, Steve Ravenous, Warlock, Foxx, Brett Brady, and Billy Cole), which I had been looking forward to due to the presence of guys like Warlock and Foxx. Sadly, this was easily the lowlight of the evening. Warlock didn’t show off any of the stuff I’d been hearing about him, even botching a spot to the outside (and consequently having to re-do it). Another problem with this match was the tagging. A blind tag or two is fine, but they were coming thick and fast (mixed in with ‘tags’ that were punches) – and it got to the point that it was just sh*t. I’m all for one guy ‘tagging’ another with a punch – but only once. I swear, there were less legitimate tags in this than ‘trick’ ones. What resulted was a messy and ultimately sh*tty match. No disrespect to the workers involved, but the whole thing had very little going for it. Mad Dog picked up the win, but nobody really gave a damn.
INTERMISSION
I went to the merchandise stands for a look, but the only stuff I considered buying (TNA DVDs) were just a little too pricey for mine.
We get back from the break and it’s TNT vs. Rob Matrix. Both guys are experienced beyond Australia, so I’m actually looking forward to this bout. Some great technical wrestling and chain wrestling in this one. From a purist’s standpoint, this was the best match of the night (wrestling wise, that is). Was a little confused by TNT. Was he supposed to be a face or a heel? Him spitting on a little girl in the front row was pretty sh*thouse, while we’re on it. There were some good spots in this one, as you’d expect, although TNT botching a twisting senton was a little disappointing. That’s live wrestling, though. Rob Matrix really impressed me in this one, and got the crowd pleasing win after a lengthy and enjoyable ‘legitimate’ match.
Next out were Mark Mercedes and Steve Frost for their match. Mercedes got on the mike and earned cheap heat by bad-mouthing the Newcastle Knights and Newcastle in general. A decent enough promo, but I’d have been happier if more matches had started this way. From a first time viewer’s standpoint, it was sometimes hard to decide who was the bad guy. Either way, this clash was pretty slow. Some decent spots, but nothing to write home about. A ******ing confusing ending spoiled it, and then suddenly the whole place flooded (and I mean flooded) with workers. There were close to thirty or forty guys brawling in the ring, up on the stage, and around the ring. Cue the ‘Great Aussie Pub Brawl’.
Now, this match was cool, but I had problems with it as well. Firstly, there was so much going on that you missed some pretty damn cool offence. Cletus (or Retus) hit the Canadian Destroyer at one point, and it got lost in the brawling around the ring. There were pieces of keyboards flying everywhere, and whilst it made for a cool spectacle, it would have been better if the focus hadn’t been so split. The end came with Scarecrow putting someone through a table for the 1-2-3. Decent bout, but some better organization would have made it really stand out.
Inexplicably, we had the national anthem. Why was this being sung so far into the show? I guess to hype up the main event? I don’t know. Lauren Atkins is hot. She can also have my babies. Or I’ll have hers. Whatever works.
The final match of the evening was the ‘Career vs. Career’ match between Lee Starr and Lobo. I’d heard heaps about both workers, particularly Lobo, and was disappointed that such a big match (loser retires) didn’t even have a pre-match promo or two. But damn, this match was my highlight of the night. Why? Because it told a story! We all knew that one worker would retire, and that meant something. A lot of the other matches felt like throwaway showcase matches, which is exactly what they were, but this one had some emotion in it. From Lee Starr’s early decision to leave right through to watching both workers bleed for the crowd. There were some great spots, and Lobo sure moves well for a guy his size. I suspected that Lee Starr would go over here, given Lobo’s outside interests (outside the ring, that is) but at points it was hard to guess. Both guys hit big moves, and both guys made last second kick outs. That impressed me. The art of the late kick-out is one that few can really master. The Rock did it well, but a lot of ‘rookie’ main eventers seem to go early. These two literally had you convinced it was over, and then they’d kick out. It made for a great match which Lee Starr ultimately won. It was an epic though, and I personally picked it as my match of the night – narrowly beating out the three way dance.
All in all – I had a great night, and it was disappointing to know it will be the last. Newcastle’s wrestling scene is absolutely sh*t (ironic, given that Canberra has one and isn’t nearly as big or as close to Sydney), and on top of that, what are my chances of seeing out of state stars like Lee Starr, Jayson Cooper, and Crofty now?
Still, I had an awesome time, and would definitely go again if a show came to Newcastle. Hell, I’m begging some of the Sydney feds to come to Newie more often. The crowd may not have been huge (according to Andy something close to 470) – but it was vocal and we all had a great night. Except for that poor girl who got spit on.