neonHyde
Nothing More, Nothing Less.
Live report from the Toyota Arena
YORK, PA - The 5,500-capacity Toyota Arena was refreshingly (and perhaps surprisingly) full tonight. Just Wrestling's first show in Pennsylvania comes hot on the heels of Barack Obama's landmark presidential victory and the feel-good factor across the nation combined with the usual cheap-cheap-cheap ticket prices tempted fans from their homes to fill out the biggest arena booker Tim Shipley has used thus far - certainly a promising sign. Even the typically aloof Brock Shepherd, Just Wrestling Champion and the original "One-Armed Wrecking Machine", seemed blown away by the roar of epic proportions that greeted him as he opened up the show. Shepherd was moved to cut a short and sweet spontaneous promo in the ring, and his earnest delivery certainly teed up the fans. With vicious rumours surrounding his life outside the ring it was perhaps fortunate for Shepherd that his opponent was Dr. Giggles, who moved to 0-8 in Just Wrestling with a defeat inside three minutes. Nevertheless the crowd were buoyed by a dominant performance from Brock Shepherd who has really grown into his role as Champion.
Next on the bill was a rematch between guesting former LoC star MaX-Files and the formidable presence that is Turk. The two squared off in Providence but Max Hopper's mind seemed to be on other things and it was only right for the two to go at it again. This time it was Turk whose ring work was sloppy, and MaX-Files wrapped things up all too easily and all too early. There was a smattering of boos for Turk's poor showing. Tim Shipley would have thought it a no-brainer to put two former LoC top dogs with history in a ring together and let the sparks fly, but the two Hopper/Turk encounters have been the very definition of dead rubber and questions have to be asked about the sort of physical condition these men are in.
The encounter had dampened the evening somewhat, but a surprise was next. Expecting the entrance of Buck Fledger, the crowd were thrilled to instead witness Fathom and Maynard Crane tumbling through the curtain, the latter's head in the process of remoulding the lid of a garbage can. Words had been exchanged backstage and reportedly the fists began to fly well before the conclusion of the previous match. The two pummelled each other on the stage to whoops and jeers from the nearby fans until Shipley had security pull the pair apart. He announced that if the two had something to say to each other, they should do it in the ring. We had a new main event: Maynard Crane and Fathom in a no-holds-barred match. 5,500 fans could not believe their luck.
At last it was time for Fledger and his opponent Aaron Nothings to take to the ring. They put on a good show, linking sequences of fluid exchanges that were especially easy on the eye. Fledger's bad luck continued, however, when his attempted somersault leg drop backfired; Nothings, who had dodged, made the three-count. Chris Vallette and Ivor Avalon took to the ring next. Both 22-years-old, the two have been compared, but where Vallette is noted for his consistency, Avalon is the very opposite, having taken the notable scalps of Andy Murray and Jesse Jamester either side of a sloppy loss to Nothings. Tonight was another poor one for the Englishman, and Vallette was back to the invigorating form of the first tour to take out his opponent with the Frequency Cut. He will now face Shepherd for the Championship.
The changes to the main event had left both Myles Jake and Dallas Steele out in the cold. Shipley had intended the two to face each other, but with Jake having shown up semi-immobile with a strained back the decision was made to protect his already fragile physical health. The two were instead paired up in a tag match against reputed local workers The Brock and T. Vausten. The York natives applauded the local boys but nobody really expected much with such experience and ability on the other team. But Jake's limited mobility was hampering him and he was unable to reach a tag as his partner struggled. This would prove crucial as Steele was laid-out and subsequently the victim of the showmanlike Nipples Elbow from The Brock. Jake made little visible effort to break the fall and Steele shot a sullen look at his experienced partner after the referee announced the local workers as surprise victors.
Lastly, we came to our much anticipated main event, the first no-holds-barred match that Just Wrestling has put on. Fathom looked particularly at home with the stipulations, bringing his own shopping trolley to ringside. Insiders told us Shipley had rushed to the nearest Kmart for various household maintenance objects realising that they had never had to provide for such a match before. Maynard Crane preferred to stick with what was available around the ring, the steel chair his weapon of choice, and things got more than a little heated early on. Crane seemed especially eager to dash to ringside to grab the permitted weaponry, something that almost proved his downfall early on as a recovering Fathom planted him with an atomic drop. "Mr. Skullet" was able to get back into things but a certain naivety on when and when not to sacrifice momentum to grab some additional help meant that he would never fully take control. Fathom had an ironic smile on his face for most of the match and particularly seemed to enjoy blasting Crane over the head with a gleaming aluminium bucket. Crane stumbled as Fathom laughed, and moments later the Denver man had pulled out the End Game to finish things, inflicting a first defeat upon Crane.
Overall the show was a fantastic success. The big arena was a gamble that paid off, the noise of a 5,500-strong crowd really adding to the sense of occasion. Things will only get better at the tour-ending show next week (which is 90 minutes rather than the usual 75); Brock Shepherd defends his title against Chris Vallette, Andy Murray and Jesse Jamester contest a match the internet fans have been going crazy about the prospect of, and of course the entire roster piles into an open-invitation battle royal to decide the MVP for the tour. It's been a great few weeks so make sure you don't miss out on another big-capacity show in St. Bonaventure, NY - you can get in for just $10!
YORK, PA - The 5,500-capacity Toyota Arena was refreshingly (and perhaps surprisingly) full tonight. Just Wrestling's first show in Pennsylvania comes hot on the heels of Barack Obama's landmark presidential victory and the feel-good factor across the nation combined with the usual cheap-cheap-cheap ticket prices tempted fans from their homes to fill out the biggest arena booker Tim Shipley has used thus far - certainly a promising sign. Even the typically aloof Brock Shepherd, Just Wrestling Champion and the original "One-Armed Wrecking Machine", seemed blown away by the roar of epic proportions that greeted him as he opened up the show. Shepherd was moved to cut a short and sweet spontaneous promo in the ring, and his earnest delivery certainly teed up the fans. With vicious rumours surrounding his life outside the ring it was perhaps fortunate for Shepherd that his opponent was Dr. Giggles, who moved to 0-8 in Just Wrestling with a defeat inside three minutes. Nevertheless the crowd were buoyed by a dominant performance from Brock Shepherd who has really grown into his role as Champion.
Next on the bill was a rematch between guesting former LoC star MaX-Files and the formidable presence that is Turk. The two squared off in Providence but Max Hopper's mind seemed to be on other things and it was only right for the two to go at it again. This time it was Turk whose ring work was sloppy, and MaX-Files wrapped things up all too easily and all too early. There was a smattering of boos for Turk's poor showing. Tim Shipley would have thought it a no-brainer to put two former LoC top dogs with history in a ring together and let the sparks fly, but the two Hopper/Turk encounters have been the very definition of dead rubber and questions have to be asked about the sort of physical condition these men are in.
The encounter had dampened the evening somewhat, but a surprise was next. Expecting the entrance of Buck Fledger, the crowd were thrilled to instead witness Fathom and Maynard Crane tumbling through the curtain, the latter's head in the process of remoulding the lid of a garbage can. Words had been exchanged backstage and reportedly the fists began to fly well before the conclusion of the previous match. The two pummelled each other on the stage to whoops and jeers from the nearby fans until Shipley had security pull the pair apart. He announced that if the two had something to say to each other, they should do it in the ring. We had a new main event: Maynard Crane and Fathom in a no-holds-barred match. 5,500 fans could not believe their luck.
At last it was time for Fledger and his opponent Aaron Nothings to take to the ring. They put on a good show, linking sequences of fluid exchanges that were especially easy on the eye. Fledger's bad luck continued, however, when his attempted somersault leg drop backfired; Nothings, who had dodged, made the three-count. Chris Vallette and Ivor Avalon took to the ring next. Both 22-years-old, the two have been compared, but where Vallette is noted for his consistency, Avalon is the very opposite, having taken the notable scalps of Andy Murray and Jesse Jamester either side of a sloppy loss to Nothings. Tonight was another poor one for the Englishman, and Vallette was back to the invigorating form of the first tour to take out his opponent with the Frequency Cut. He will now face Shepherd for the Championship.
The changes to the main event had left both Myles Jake and Dallas Steele out in the cold. Shipley had intended the two to face each other, but with Jake having shown up semi-immobile with a strained back the decision was made to protect his already fragile physical health. The two were instead paired up in a tag match against reputed local workers The Brock and T. Vausten. The York natives applauded the local boys but nobody really expected much with such experience and ability on the other team. But Jake's limited mobility was hampering him and he was unable to reach a tag as his partner struggled. This would prove crucial as Steele was laid-out and subsequently the victim of the showmanlike Nipples Elbow from The Brock. Jake made little visible effort to break the fall and Steele shot a sullen look at his experienced partner after the referee announced the local workers as surprise victors.
Lastly, we came to our much anticipated main event, the first no-holds-barred match that Just Wrestling has put on. Fathom looked particularly at home with the stipulations, bringing his own shopping trolley to ringside. Insiders told us Shipley had rushed to the nearest Kmart for various household maintenance objects realising that they had never had to provide for such a match before. Maynard Crane preferred to stick with what was available around the ring, the steel chair his weapon of choice, and things got more than a little heated early on. Crane seemed especially eager to dash to ringside to grab the permitted weaponry, something that almost proved his downfall early on as a recovering Fathom planted him with an atomic drop. "Mr. Skullet" was able to get back into things but a certain naivety on when and when not to sacrifice momentum to grab some additional help meant that he would never fully take control. Fathom had an ironic smile on his face for most of the match and particularly seemed to enjoy blasting Crane over the head with a gleaming aluminium bucket. Crane stumbled as Fathom laughed, and moments later the Denver man had pulled out the End Game to finish things, inflicting a first defeat upon Crane.
Overall the show was a fantastic success. The big arena was a gamble that paid off, the noise of a 5,500-strong crowd really adding to the sense of occasion. Things will only get better at the tour-ending show next week (which is 90 minutes rather than the usual 75); Brock Shepherd defends his title against Chris Vallette, Andy Murray and Jesse Jamester contest a match the internet fans have been going crazy about the prospect of, and of course the entire roster piles into an open-invitation battle royal to decide the MVP for the tour. It's been a great few weeks so make sure you don't miss out on another big-capacity show in St. Bonaventure, NY - you can get in for just $10!