Post by CMV on Aug 20, 2007 9:22:22 GMT -6
Preshow:
The interior of the Joliet Park District building reminds us faintly of Romeoville, but the acoustics sound strange. A single test clap echoes for nearly a second and a half. This place is really going to get loud when we start bellowing. The preshow music seems to be selections from the Terminator 2 soundtrack; a nice touch.
The Show:
Studd Muffin comes out; his outfit is very “busy”. He calls out Michael Lopez, his gardener, and begins to verbally berate him for not doing his job and wasting time trying to learn how to wrestle. Studd Muffin apparently hasn’t poked his head outside recently; it’s been raining like hell all day. For a guy who’s being verbally dressed down, Lopez is grinning too much. Muffin calls out Juggalo J-City, apparently to beat some sense into his hired hand.
Juggalo J-City vs. Michael Lopez
Some passable back and forth action. Lopez hits a dropkick that nails JJC somewhere around the waist; Ben Jordan would call that a “variation”. JJC is a little too much for Lopez, and gets the pinfall. He looks a little too happy to have beaten a guy with little to no wrestling experience. Studd Muffin is elated, and orders Lopez to the back. I’m amazed that Lopez would even consider staying in Muffin’s employ after that.
Atlas vs. Sal DiNiro
Squash with a capital “S”. DiNiro looks nothing like the guy featured in the video promo on VWAA’s Myspace site. After a mercifully short match where Atlas gains the win, the “real” Sal DiNiro is heard over the PA system, promising a big surprise for Atlas.
Frankie Valiant is here, wearing a set of religious robes that actually look like dropped some coin on. His guests are the Furies, and poor Mitch Blake is on crutches. Rick Walsh’s jersey confuses me; it says he’s number 72 on the front, but number 27 on the back. Blake assures me that it’s a “tailor error”. I’ll buy that. Blake says he’s unable to wrestle tonight (regardless of Whack’s claims that the injury is a sham), and Rick Walsh will compete later tonight for the Furies.
Isaias Velasquez vs. Squanto
Velasquez has a nice purple set of ring gear. Squanto wears a hat that makes him look like Kung Lao from Mortal Kombat. The hat falls off the ring post two minutes into the bout; a bad omen for Squanto. Good match between the two, with a number of near-falls that really kind of had me going. Velasquez picks up the well-deserved win, but both of these guys were pretty impressive.
Ovirload vs. Rick Walsh
Ovirload and his partner, the Amazing Kuan, are black men in masks. They’ve got a good look. Some wild action in this one, including Mitch Blake absorbing a top rope dropkick, and then showing amazing fortitude by beating Ovirload mercilessly with one of his crutches. This one goes to a no-contest, and Frankie Valiant returns, proclaiming Blake’s healed knee as a “miracle”.
"The Urban American Dream" Willie "Da Bomb" Richardson vs. Jordan Pryde
This is indeed a pleasant surprise; we didn’t even know Willie was going to be present. Pryde looks similar to a poor man’s Samoa Joe, the difference being that I may actually pay to see Pryde again. Willie responds to our frantic screamings for the Headbutt (twice!), and also grants us two “Potato” shots. Trust me, it was glorious. Willie reverses a cross-body for the win.
Intermission is actually about 15 minutes, a rarity in indy wrestling these days. I buy an Isaias Velasquez 5X7 for a dollar, planning on waving it at talent I find to be inferior to his greatness. The Dean is introduced as our referee for the second half. We go mad with applause.
Vigilante vs. The Amazing Kuan
Kuan and Ovirload are still selling their earlier injuries like crazy. It’s attention to little bits of continuity like this that I really like. Vigilante is billed as having something to do with the 80’s. However, his spiked hairstyle is very 1990, and the flannel tied around his waist is pure Pearl Jam circa 1992. We call foul, and continue to do so throughout the match. At about the six minute mark, the Furies come from out of nowhere, starting a Pier Four (two down from Pier Six) brawl. Countout ensues. Boo. Mitch Blake looks pretty good for a guy with a futzed-up knee. Yay for speedy recovery!
Battle Royal
Bodies are everywhere. Even the Furies’ manager gets in on the fun. This one is over surprisingly quick, with Vigilante getting the victory.
Abbadon vs. Ivan Manson (No-DQ)
Good hardcore action. Abbadon uses a golf club and someone’s cell phone as weapons. I get chastised for heckling Cheeks Manson by her mother. Abbadon drags Manson around the crowd perimeter, as fans chop and slap his helpless form. As much as I dislike this practice, the crowd seemed into it. Kudos to the woman in the front row across from us, who laid into Manson with a chop as solid as any worker’s. Abbadon blasts Manson with a computer keyboard to get the win, sending numbers and letters flying. I got a “1/!”.
Overall:
The acoustics were the biggest problem; but seeing as how the music was clear while the microphone sounded garbled, this may just be a placement issue. Some of VWAA’s workers seem a bit green, but they all worked their asses off. This wasn’t a bad show at all for a fledgling company, and it seems like they’ve got their act together. I look forward to watching them progress and improve as time goes on.
The interior of the Joliet Park District building reminds us faintly of Romeoville, but the acoustics sound strange. A single test clap echoes for nearly a second and a half. This place is really going to get loud when we start bellowing. The preshow music seems to be selections from the Terminator 2 soundtrack; a nice touch.
The Show:
Studd Muffin comes out; his outfit is very “busy”. He calls out Michael Lopez, his gardener, and begins to verbally berate him for not doing his job and wasting time trying to learn how to wrestle. Studd Muffin apparently hasn’t poked his head outside recently; it’s been raining like hell all day. For a guy who’s being verbally dressed down, Lopez is grinning too much. Muffin calls out Juggalo J-City, apparently to beat some sense into his hired hand.
Juggalo J-City vs. Michael Lopez
Some passable back and forth action. Lopez hits a dropkick that nails JJC somewhere around the waist; Ben Jordan would call that a “variation”. JJC is a little too much for Lopez, and gets the pinfall. He looks a little too happy to have beaten a guy with little to no wrestling experience. Studd Muffin is elated, and orders Lopez to the back. I’m amazed that Lopez would even consider staying in Muffin’s employ after that.
Atlas vs. Sal DiNiro
Squash with a capital “S”. DiNiro looks nothing like the guy featured in the video promo on VWAA’s Myspace site. After a mercifully short match where Atlas gains the win, the “real” Sal DiNiro is heard over the PA system, promising a big surprise for Atlas.
Frankie Valiant is here, wearing a set of religious robes that actually look like dropped some coin on. His guests are the Furies, and poor Mitch Blake is on crutches. Rick Walsh’s jersey confuses me; it says he’s number 72 on the front, but number 27 on the back. Blake assures me that it’s a “tailor error”. I’ll buy that. Blake says he’s unable to wrestle tonight (regardless of Whack’s claims that the injury is a sham), and Rick Walsh will compete later tonight for the Furies.
Isaias Velasquez vs. Squanto
Velasquez has a nice purple set of ring gear. Squanto wears a hat that makes him look like Kung Lao from Mortal Kombat. The hat falls off the ring post two minutes into the bout; a bad omen for Squanto. Good match between the two, with a number of near-falls that really kind of had me going. Velasquez picks up the well-deserved win, but both of these guys were pretty impressive.
Ovirload vs. Rick Walsh
Ovirload and his partner, the Amazing Kuan, are black men in masks. They’ve got a good look. Some wild action in this one, including Mitch Blake absorbing a top rope dropkick, and then showing amazing fortitude by beating Ovirload mercilessly with one of his crutches. This one goes to a no-contest, and Frankie Valiant returns, proclaiming Blake’s healed knee as a “miracle”.
"The Urban American Dream" Willie "Da Bomb" Richardson vs. Jordan Pryde
This is indeed a pleasant surprise; we didn’t even know Willie was going to be present. Pryde looks similar to a poor man’s Samoa Joe, the difference being that I may actually pay to see Pryde again. Willie responds to our frantic screamings for the Headbutt (twice!), and also grants us two “Potato” shots. Trust me, it was glorious. Willie reverses a cross-body for the win.
Intermission is actually about 15 minutes, a rarity in indy wrestling these days. I buy an Isaias Velasquez 5X7 for a dollar, planning on waving it at talent I find to be inferior to his greatness. The Dean is introduced as our referee for the second half. We go mad with applause.
Vigilante vs. The Amazing Kuan
Kuan and Ovirload are still selling their earlier injuries like crazy. It’s attention to little bits of continuity like this that I really like. Vigilante is billed as having something to do with the 80’s. However, his spiked hairstyle is very 1990, and the flannel tied around his waist is pure Pearl Jam circa 1992. We call foul, and continue to do so throughout the match. At about the six minute mark, the Furies come from out of nowhere, starting a Pier Four (two down from Pier Six) brawl. Countout ensues. Boo. Mitch Blake looks pretty good for a guy with a futzed-up knee. Yay for speedy recovery!
Battle Royal
Bodies are everywhere. Even the Furies’ manager gets in on the fun. This one is over surprisingly quick, with Vigilante getting the victory.
Abbadon vs. Ivan Manson (No-DQ)
Good hardcore action. Abbadon uses a golf club and someone’s cell phone as weapons. I get chastised for heckling Cheeks Manson by her mother. Abbadon drags Manson around the crowd perimeter, as fans chop and slap his helpless form. As much as I dislike this practice, the crowd seemed into it. Kudos to the woman in the front row across from us, who laid into Manson with a chop as solid as any worker’s. Abbadon blasts Manson with a computer keyboard to get the win, sending numbers and letters flying. I got a “1/!”.
Overall:
The acoustics were the biggest problem; but seeing as how the music was clear while the microphone sounded garbled, this may just be a placement issue. Some of VWAA’s workers seem a bit green, but they all worked their asses off. This wasn’t a bad show at all for a fledgling company, and it seems like they’ve got their act together. I look forward to watching them progress and improve as time goes on.
