Views from the Hawke’s Nest: AAW One Twisted Christmas 2012

Berwyn, Il
December 29, 2012

Commentators: Phil Colvin & Daryck St. Holmes

AAW Heritage Title Tournament First Round
Marion Fontaine vs. Lamar Titan (w/ Kevin Harvey & Nikki)

Recap by Alex Torres: (This match was posted to my website, FreeProWrestling.com. Torres, a writer for my site, did the recap for it, and I saw no reason to do another recap of it. Suck it readers. The rest of the review is of course written by me.)
Fontaine spits on his hand when shaking his hand. Fontaine lands a body block and hits an armdrag. Titan catches him on the outside, but Fontaine takes him down with a headscissors. Nikki interferes, but Fontaine takes her onto his knee (teasing a kiss) before dropping her. Titan hits him in the back. Fontaine kicks him onto the apron. Titan throws Fontaine into the rope, and then hits a hurricane kick for two. Exchanges on the ropes. Fontaine dodges some kicks to a humorous effect. Titan lands a kick and gets a near fall. Both men exchange blows, a clothesline from Fontaine giving him control. He kinda crotches himself on Titan’s head for two. No really. St. Holmes even calls it a tea bag. Fontaine hits a big leg drop for the two count. Fontaine hits a super kick. Nikki puts Titan’s leg on the rope. Titan hits Fontaine with a chain, and then hits a uranage across the knees for the three count.

This match is really just there, an exercise in feeding Fontaine to Titan. The announcers talk about how Darin Corbin (Fontaine’s partner) was taken out of the tournament by the group Titan belongs to, but this didn’t feel like a grudge match. Fontaine was even fairly goofy at points. This is not the match they should have had given the circumstances.

Thoughts from TJ Hawke:
This match was a part of the We Are Here vs. The Northstache Express feud. Marion Fontaine is someone that no longer interests me. Lamar Titan has a lot of potential though. Fontaine showed a little more energy here than I’ve seen from him in a while, but his mere presence brings this down for me. The We Are Here storyline is not something that has been handled well in my opinion, as no one has really become a bigger star in the promotion as a result of the angle. If heels are going to be taken seriously, they can’t cheat to have to beat people like Marion Fontaine. Oh well. The match was solid at least.
Match Rating: **1/2

AAW Heritage Title Tournament First Round
Dan Lawrence vs. Juntai Miller
Lawrence defeated Miller last month with a rollup and a handful of tights.

Miller hit a slingshot bulldog early on. Lawrence was able to cut him off though shortly after that, and he worked Miller over for a while. Miller was eventually able to use his feet to drive Lawrence’s face into a turnbuckle. Miller hit a superkick and a kneeling curb stomp: 1…2…NO! Lawrence came back with a super hurricanrana. Miller came back with a Yakuza and a double knee stomp: 1…2…3!

This was a solid match to establish Miller as a serious threat to winning the tournament. It doesn’t completely make up for Miller losing all the time for the past year, but it is a start. The Party Danimal looked better here than he has in a while.
Match Rating: **3/4

Colt Cabana vs. Shane Hollister (w/ Markus Crane & Scarlett)
Scarlett and Crane came to the ring to bait Cabana. Cabana started running them down. Hollister jumped Cabana from behind, and the match is under way. If Cabana wins, he gets Scarlett for a week. If Hollister wins…he gets…I’m not sure. Hopefull Colvin and St. Holmes tell me. Colt was building some momentum until Crane tripped him up from the floor. Hollister then started going after Cabana’s finger. Hollister was in complete control for a while. Cabana eventually grabbed Hollister by the balls and gave him a hip toss. Cabana got a nearfall with a bionic elbow. Colt got another nearfall with a butt but. Hollister avoided a flying asshole and hit an enzuigiri. Hollister then drove the steel steps into the injured finger. Hollister then got a nearfall on a ghetto stomp. Scarlett went to attack Colt, but he got her in the tombstone position. Hollister then caught Colt with a superkick. Colt came back with some elbows and a GTS on Hollister. Colt had the match won, but Crane pulled out the referee. Colt chased Crane to the back, but Sami Callihan brought Crane back for some unknown reason. Colt went to punch Shane, but Crane held up a chair, and Colt punched the chair with the hand that had the injured finger. Hollister rolled up Colt: 1…2…3.

Colt said he was tired of the numbers game. Colt said he was going to make “those assholes pay.”

That finish was a little too much, but overall, this was a pretty fun contest. I prefer Colt in either technical matches or big brawls, but he’s usually fairly fun in AAW (where I’ve rarely seen him in either a technical match or a brawling match).
Match Rating: ***

The Irish Airborne© (Dave & Jake Crist) vs. Team Ambition (Davey Richards & Kyle O’Reilly) [AAW Tag Championships]
The teams went back and forth for a good while. Eventually, the Airborne were able to isolate Davey, and they worked him over for a while. Like, a really long time. Davey was eventually able to hit the handspring enzuigiri on Jake. O’Reilly tagged in and ran wild on the Airborne. Ambition hit Jake with the buzzsaw kick/brainbuster combo: 1…2…NO! O’Reilly had Jake in a guillotine, but Dave broke it up with a ghetto stomp. The teams traded strikes. Airborne hit a bunch of kicks. Jake got a nearfall on O’Reilly with a bridging tiger suplex. Everyone but Davey ended up on the floor. Davey took out Dave with a soccer punt from the apron. Jake blocked a Davey tope attempt. Kyle hit Jake with a running knee off the apron. Back in the ring, O’Reilly started selling his right knee out of nowhere. It looked like the match was about to stop. Davey took off his wrist tape. The Airborne started to help O’Reilly to his feet, and they looked like they were gonna carry him to the back. The Airborne then kicked Davey in the balls, and they then worked over O’Reilly’s injured knee. Kyle was being destroyed for a while, but he eventually escaped and tagged out to Davey. Davey got a nearfall on Dave with a German. Davey got simultaneous submissions on the Airborne. The Airborne made the ropes. The Airborne then hit a double stomp/FU onto knees combo: 1…2…NO! The Airborne went for the Tombstone/Ghetto Stomp combo, but O’Reilly crotched Dave. Davey tombstoned Jake: 1…2…NO! Davey locked in a choke! The bell rang…time limit draw.

The crowd wants five more minutes. The Airborne decline. Davey puts over Kyle and says in 2013, he wants the tag titles.

I thought this was a great match. If it had a clean finish, it had the potential to be one of the best matches of the year for AAW. Since it only happened on the first half of the show, I really had no problem with the finish as long as it leads to a rematch eventually. The thirty minutes flew by, and I think everything in this match was executed well.
Match Rating: ***1/2

MsChif vs. Danny Daniels (w/ Truth Martini) [Fans Bring the Weapons]
I have not been into this feud at all. I think it’s dragged MsChif down and revealed the limitations of Danny Daniels being in a big feud for AAW in 2013.

Martini tried to say that weapons were not allowed in this match. Daniels was in control early on. Martini gave MsChif an ironing board. MsChif avoided the weapon shot. MsChif made a comeback with various weapons. MsChif started choking Daniels with a chain. MsChif was seemingly setting up for an asai moonsault, but Daniels blocked it. MsChif used more weapons to keep the advantage. MsChif was about to use a mace, but Daniels drove her into a ringpost. MsChif came back with a plastic Christmas tree. Daniels was busted open. Daniels came back with some shots to the head with a garbage can lid. Martini and the referee started brawling. The referee won. MsChif locked in her arm/face submission. Martini went to make the save, but MsChif grabbed him. Daniels saved Martini. Martini accidentally hit Daniels with the Mist. Martini kicked MsChif in the vagina. Martini then revealed he was not injured. MsChif crotched him on the top turnbuckle. MsChif punched him in the dick ten times. A blinded Daniels accidentally gave Martini a piledriver. MsChif pulled out that horror movie glove and stabbed Daniels in the dick. MsChif then sent a bowling ball into Daniels’s dick. MsChif locked in the submission again, and Daniels tapped out.

I was not a big fan of this feud, as the matches weren’t all that entertaining and the story became broader and less interesting the longer it went on. However, fans were mostly into this, and at least Daniels didn’t go over.
Match Rating: ***

AAW Heritage Title Tournament First Round
Samuray Del Sol vs. CJ Esparza
Del Sol has had a lot of AAW experience, but none of those matches had been all that memorable. His run in DGUSA and Evolve really turned him into one of the most fun wrestlers in the world. Esparza was a replacement for an injured BJ Whitmer.

Esparza ended up on the floor. Del Sol hit a twisting arm drag dive off the apron, which sent Esparza into the guardrail. Esparza then came back with a springboard swanton to a standing Del Sol on the floor. Back in the ring, Del Sol hit a rolling DVD and a standing moonsault: 1…2…NO! Esparza came back with a middle rope crossbody to a seated Del Sol. Esparza got a nearfall with a short-range lariat. Esaparza went for a shooting star, but Del Sol got his knees up. Del Sol then hit a Roddy Strong gutbuster: 1…2…NO! Del Sol went for a springboard 450, but Esparza avoided it and hit a seated dropkick. Del Sol blocked a springboard move and hit an enzuigiri: 1…2…NO! Del Sol hit a ridiculous move off the top rope: 1…2…3. Sorry, I have no idea what the name of that was. It was cool though.

This match wasn’t bad, but you would never guess from this match that Del Sol was one of the most exciting wrestlers in the world. Regardless, I am definitely excited that Del Sol won and that he will be having more matches in AAW.
Match Rating: **3/4

Keith Walker (w/ Kevin Harvey & Nikki) vs. Dale Patricks & Tripp Cassidy
Patricks and Cassidy are students of Billy Roc, and they were a part of the great Class Wars web show. They are about to be squished.

Walker destroyed these kids a lot. Cassidy ate a chokeslam on the apron. Patricks then got hit with a powerbomb and a massive lariat: 1…2…3.

Walker hit Cassidy with a running lariat after the match.
Match Rating: Squash

Harvey talked about how Tweek Phoenix was going to win the final Heritage Title Tournament first round match tonight automatically. However, some music hit…

AAW Heritage Title Tournament First Round
Tweek Phoenix vs. Louis Lyndon
Lyndon quickly hit a moonsault the floor. Back in the ring, Lyndon was in complete control. The big story here was that Lyndon ate a fireball to the face from Harvey back in the summer. Harvey distracted Lyndon, which allowed Phoenix to cut him off. Phoenix worked Lyndon over. Lyndon eventually came back with some strikes and a dragon suplex. Cross armbreaker from Lyndon. Phoenix made the ropes. Lyndon went for a moonsault, but Phoenix avoided it. Phoenix hit a discus lariat and a Gibson Driver: 1…2…NO! Phoenix tried to use a boot on Lyndon, but Lyndon got a schoolboy: 1…2…3.

All of We Are Here destroyed Lyndon after the match. A bunch of pre-show geeks ran in, but they all got killed. Ryan Boz then came out. He dispatched Titan and Phoenix rather easily. He and Walker went face to face. Walker chokeslammed Krotch and left the ring. Boz hit a sit-out tombstone on some other geek.

The match was fine, but it was a little sloppy at times. Lyndon has a ton of talent, and I’ve seen him have a lot of good matches. Thus, I’m excited that he’s moving on in the tournament.
Match Rating: **1/4

Jimmy Jacobs and Arik Cannon did an in-ring segment. They started slugging it out. Phil Colvin, “This feud is never going to end.” I hope he’s lying. They used a lot of leftover weapons from the MsChif/Daniels match. This was basically an unsanctioned match to hopefully blow off this feud forever and ever. The Irish Airborne eventually showed up. Jacobs bailed. The Airborne then hit the Ghetto Stomp/Tombstone on Cannon on a stop sign.

Michael Elgin© vs. Sami Callihan vs. Shane Hollister (w/ Scarlett & Markus Crane) [AAW Heavyweight Championship]
This match was originally just going to be Callihan vs. Elgin, but Hollister entered himself in the match. Callihan started the match with a Brogue Kick on Hollister. Scarlett distracted Elgin, which allowed Hollister to hit Elgin with an enzuigiri and a tornado DDT. Elgin ended up on the floor. Sami hit Hollister with a Silverking Lariat. Sami then took out Hollister and Crane with a tope suicida. Elgin locked Sami in with the crossface, but Sami made the ropes. Sami got the Muffler on Elgin, but Hollister broke it up with a ghetto stomp. Elgin got the crossface on Hollister, but then Sami got a crossface on Elgin. Hollister escaped and broke it up. Elgin was in the Tree of Joey Lawrence, while Sami was trying to superplex Hollister. Elgin then hit them with an avalanche German. They all started trading a lot of strikes. Elgin gave Hollister a kneeling superkick and a Hellevator: 1…2…NO! Callihan hit Elgin with a DVD and a BOING splash: 1…2…NO! Elgin hit Hollister with the Chaos Theory: 1…2…NO! Scarlett tried to interfere, but Elgin gave her a Bossman Slam. Elgin got dumped from the ring. Callihan hit Hollister with a Liger Bomb: 1…2…3
Shane Hollister was eliminated

No one knew the match was elimination style, so the crowd was pissed off that they didn’t get the title change. Elgin hit the Fucking Machine Suplex: 1….2…NO! Elgin hit a trio of backfists and a buckle bomb, but Sami then got a Muffler! The crowd wanted a Sami win. Elgin escaped. Sami hit the superkick to the back of the leg spot. Sami went to the top rope. Hollister crotched Sami, while Elgin destroyed Crane. Elgin then hit a buckle bomb and an Elgin Bomb: 1…2…3

The story was that Elgin didn’t see how Hollister helped him win in the end. Sami blamed Hollister for the loss. Elgin was pissed at Sami.

This was a great main event in my eyes. Elgin continues to excel in the role of being the backbone of AAW. Every AAW show is worth attending and watching because you know Elgin is going to have a great main event. Sami has gotten himself very over with the AAW crowd which is obviously not all that surprising. He had a great 2012 in AAW, and I would daresay it was better than his years in DGUSA and Evolve. Hollister has not always been given the best stuff to do in AAW (see his match earlier in the show), but he at least finished the year strong. I’m hopeful that he will have a great 2013.
Match Rating: ***3/4

Thanks everybody for reading! You can send feedback to my Twitter or to my email address: [email protected]. Also, feel free to check out my own wrestling website, FreeProWrestling.com. Also, check out my Best of Chikara blog and an archive of all my 411 video reviews.

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The 411: This DVD was far more consistent than the usual AAW DVD. The tag title and heavyweight title matches were both very well done, and I’m hopeful that that is a sign of future quality in the AAW Tag Division (the AAW Heavyweight Division has long been great). The midcard had a much better sense of direction on this show just because the majority of them were involved in the AAW Heritage Title Tournament. While the show was not perfect, I do hope that more AAW DVDs are this consistent going forward. Buy this DVD for $15 at the AAW store. You can also go to Smart Mark Video and get the show as a $15 DVD, a $11.99 MP4, or as a $9.99 Video on Demand.

Final Score:  7.3   [ Good ]