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From The Shelf – AAW Take No Prisoners 2016

May 24, 2016 | Posted by Dylan Diot
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From The Shelf – AAW Take No Prisoners 2016  

AAW Take No Prisoners 2016
5-6-16
Merrionette Park, IL

Your hosts are Phil Colvin and Derek St. Holmes

Kimber Lee vs. Heidi Lovelace
Roll-up by Heidi gets 1 and Lee returns the favor to send a message. Heidi blocks some kicks and she catches Lee with a Buzzsaw kick for 2. They exchange kicks to the back and they battle for a suplex, which Lee eventually wins, hitting a delayed vertical for 2. Back breaker by Lee and Heidi comes back with a head scissors driver into the turnbuckles. Heidi throws some kicks but Lee sweeps the legs and cleans house to come back. Bicycle kick by Lee gets 2. They trade strikes and Heidi throws a super kick followed by an enzuigiri for 2. Release German suplex by Lee gets 2. Slingshot DDT by Heidi and she goes up. Back senton off the top by Heidi gets 3!!!
Winner- Heidi Lovelace *** ( Sweet little match. Both these girls have been tearing it up in multiple promotions and it’s cool to see AAW have enough faith in them to get the show off to a hot start. This was very intense and still and they packed a lot in a short period time while still leaving you wanting more. )

Connor Braxton w/Eddie Machete vs. CJ Esparza w/Brett Gakiya vs. Alex Daniels vs. Dezmond Xavier vs. Markus Crane vs. Dave Crist w/JT Davidson
Braxton comes down to the ring with a hover board and wheels around on it while cutting a promo in the ring, which is awesome. He introduces Scarlett Bordeaux as their new manager. Everyone brawls to start and Esparza is pressed into a hurricanrana onto Braxton. Braxton RIDES HIS HOVERBOARD and charges at Crist but it has no effect. Crist blocks the hoverboard, sending Braxton crashing onto the mat. Crist falls trying to ride the hoverboard and Xavier and Daniels dive into the ring and catches them with tornado DDTs. Handspring Pele by Xavier and he catches Daniels with a hurricanrana. Slingshot hurricanrana by Daniels and he hits the springboard front kick. Spinning heel kick by Crane and he hits a flying front kick. Springboard clothesline by Esparza and he catches Crane with a lariat. Summersault plancha to the floor by Esparza!!! Springboard summersault plancha to the floor by Xavier!!! Braxton RIDES HIS HOVERBOARD INTO A SLINGSHOT PESCADO BUT EVERYONE MOVES!!!! Stereo corkscrew planchas to the floor by Crist and Daniels!!! DOOMSDAY BLOCKBUSTER BY CRANE ONTO CRIST DRIVING HIM ONTO THE PILE ON THE FLOOR!!! Crane puts Crist on top but Crist dumps him to the floor. Xavier takes him off with a standing Frankensteiner and Braxton superplexes Esparza onto Crist!!! Reverse hurricanrana by Daniels and he goes up. 630 splash misses and Esparza hits a flying cross body off the top. Sky High by Braxton and Xavier catches him with an enzuigiri. He goes up and hits the Spiral Tap. Crane hits the Cop Killa for 2 as Crist breaks. Snap DDT by Crist gets 3.
Winner- Dave Crist **3/4 (Another fun match as you’d expect with six man scramble style matches. It was messy at point cause everyone was trying to get their stuff in so they mistimed some things but everyone had their moment to shine and Braxton was the standout with the clever spots involing the Hoverboard and showing tons of personality. )

After the match, JT Davidson introduces the AAW Heavyweight Champion Sami Callihan. Callihan says he wasn’t scare of Tomasso Ciampa when he backed out of their match last month, he was making more money somewhere else. He says the houses when up since he became champion and says everyone should thank him for the black bag he brought with him. He’s gone from the big belt to the bigger belt and introduces his new championship. Eddie Kingston comes through the crowd and attacks Crist as Callihan quickly bails!!!! Officials and wrestlers drag Kingston out of the building.

Tomasso Ciampa says tonight is about his journey and how he has been told no throughout his career. He says tonight he will prove he can be the face of a company and Callihan will have to kill him to beat him.

Jessicka Havok vs. Candice LaRae
LaRae fires away to start and Havoc misses the seated senton. Basement dropkick by LaRae and she low bridges Havok sending her crashing to the floor. LaRae looks to dive but Havok blocks with a forearm. 619 on the apron by LaRae and she hits a suicide dive on the floor. Another one by LaRae and on the third attempt converts it into a DDT on the floor!!! Havok swings LaRae repeatedly into the railings and they brawl in the crowd. Back in, Havok grabs the full nelson and she converts it into a back breaker. Another back breaker by Havok and she stretches Candice across her knee. LaRae comes back with the Octopus but Havok rams her into the corner to block. LaRae peppers her in the corner and she goes up. Double stomp to the back by LaRae and she follows up with a DDT for 2. They go up and LaRae takes her off with a Vag Superplex for 2. Havoc blocks a second rope hurricanrana and hits a Buckle Bomb. Air Raid Crash by Havok gets 3.
Winner- Jessicka Havok **1/2 (Decent giant vs. underdog match. The story is one we have seen a million times, with LaRae using quickness to try to catch Havok at opportune moments while Havoc was the monster who destroyed LaRae when she got her hands on her. Very simple storytelling but it was effective in building Havoc off as the monster of the women’s division.)

Donovan Dijak vs. Silas Young
They grapple to start and Dijak hits a hip toss into a standing corkscrew senton. Super kick by Dijak and he hits a second rope splash for 2. They head to the floor and Dijak misses a moonsault off the apron, crashing to the floor. They fight on the apron and Young hits a DDT onto the apron. Slingshot double stomp by Young and he hits a swinging neck breaker for 1. Hanging DDT by Young gets 2. Dijak fights back but Young cuts him off with a back elbow. Dijak dumps Young to the floor and he follows out with a corkscrew plancha to the floor!!! Back in, Dijak misses the double stomp off the top and they clothesline each other. Springboard elbow drop by Dijak gets 2 as Young catches Dijak in the crucifix off the cover for 3!!!
Winner- Silas Young **1/2 ( I was disappointed by this one. I felt like they were just getting going when they went to the flash pin fall, leaving me deflated and not giving off the impression that Dijak was at Young’s level in AAW. It opens the door for potential rematches but if they are going in that direction this really didn’t get the feud off to the best of starts. )

Davey Vega gets frustrated by AR Fox getting so many shots at him when Fox and Moose show up to confront Vega and Fitchett. Moose and Fox think the belts will look good around them so Vega decides to put the belts on the line against them.

Buck Nasty and The Hooligans (Devin and Mason Cutter) vs. Colt Cabana and An Officer and a Gentlemen (Dan Barry and Chuck Taylor)
Taylor and Nasty start. Taylor works the arm to start and he overpowers Nasty when he attempts to come back. Taylor stomps away in the corner and Berry tags in along with Mason. Hurricanrana by Berry and he hits a leg lariat. The Hooigans double team Berry in the corner and Cabana tags in. He cleans house and Berry is hip tossed onto Devin. Cabana, Taylor, and Berry stomp a mud hole in their opponents and Berry hits an Arabian Press. Slow-Mo Hilo by Taylor and Cabana rolls Devin up for 2. Slingshot dropkick in the corner by Barry and he hits the Trust Fall senton for 2. Devin rakes the eyes and the Hooligans work him over in the corner. Tag to Nasty and he hits a big splash for 2. The Hooligans take turns working over Barry and they hit a standing moonsault/second rope leg drop combo for 2. Mason and Barry go up and Barry takes him off with a Frankensteiner. Tag to Cabana and he fires away on Devin. Double bionic elbow to the Hooligans and Cabana hits the Flying Asshole. Big splash by Cabana gets 2 as Mason saves. The Hooligans slam Cabana and Devin flips Mason into a corkscrew senton on Cabana. Taylor drop toe holds Devin into the groin of Mason and he hits an over head belly to belly onto Nasty in the corner. Razor’s Edge/flatliner combo onto Nasty and Taylor and Barry dive to the floor. Cabana jumps off the apron onto the Hooligans on the floor!!! Back in, Barry hits a moonsault power slam off the top onto Nasty for 2 as Mason pulls the ref out in time!!! Mason nails Barry from behind, allowing the Hooligans to hit a double stomp/tombstone combo for 3!!!
Winners- Buck Nasty and The Hooligans ***1/4 (Super fun match, easily the best of the show so far. This is the first time I’ve watched the Hooligans and their act as a new age Hillbilly team is great. The Cabana/Taylor/Barry unit lived up to my expectations, as they were just an absolute joy to watch and they brought a great energy to the match and didn’t just resort to comedy related spots. )

Michael Elgin says he’s accomplished his dream of working in New Japan but when he’s in Japan, he misses home. Elgin looks forward to facing Juice Robinson, who has shown how talented he is in Japan as well. Elgin guarantees a win.

Fenix vs. Pentagon Jr.
Feeling out process and they reach a stalemate. Tilt-a-whirl hurricanrana by Fenix and Pentagon bail.s Springboard twisting plancha to the floor by Fenix!!! Back in, Fenix hits the Hilo for 2. Fenix hits another hurricanrana sending Pentagon to the floor and he looks to dive but Pentagon catches him with an enzuigiri from the floor to block. Pentagon works over Fenix on the floor and back in, Pentagon hits a corner clothesline. He sweeps the leg of Fenix and Fenix comes back with an Ace Crusher for 2. Sling Blade by Pentagon and he hits a Backstabber for 2. Fenix puts Pentagon on top and follows up. Double stomp to the back on top by Fenix gets 2. Kicks to the chest by Fenix but Pentagon comes back with a Pump Handle Driver for 2!!! Super kick by Pentagon and Fenix comes back with an enzuigiri. Handspring Ace Crusher by Fenix and he goes for a second but Pentagon blocks with a dropkick!!! Enzuigiri from the apron by Fexis and he charges but PENTAGON BACKDROPS HIM INTO A POWERBOMB FOR 2!!!! Pentagon goes up but Fenix catches him with a palm strike and he follows up. Spanish Fly off the top by Fenix gets 2!!! Reverse hurricanrana by Fenix gets 2!!! Fenix springboards but Pentagon catches him with a kick to the midsection. Package Piledriver by Pentagon gets 3!!!
Winner- Pentagon Jr. **** ( Awesome match. They didn’t hold back or take it easy, they had a match that is up to the quality that put these two on the map in Lucha Underground. Fenix is up there with Ospreay and Ricochet as one of the most incredibly athletic men in the business. The speed and heights at which he hits maneuvers and spots is incredibly. Pentagon just tossed Fenix around and hit everything a little bit harder to make Fenix pay for his daredevil antics. Just a great exhibition that likely stole the show.)

Marcus Crane says he’s been through everything and wants to prove to Sami Callihan he’s nobodies bitch.

Juice Robinson vs. Michael Elgin
They grapple for a bit before reaching a stalemate. Elgin catches Robinson with a power slam and he hits a slingshot splash for 2. Delayed suplex by Elgin gets 2. Elgin fires away and puts Robinson on top. Robinson fights him off and hits an inverted block buster for 2. Back senton by Robinson gets 2. Enzuigiri by Elgin and he runs to the ropes, with the momentum sending Robinson crashing to the floor. Elgin looks to dive but Robinson catches him with a gut buster for 2. Robinson throws some chops but Elgin fires back with his own. Exploder suplex by Elgin and he follows up with a German suplex for 2. Robinson snaps Elgin’s neck off the ropes and he goes up but Elgin catches him with an enzuigiri, bringing Robinson to the apron. DDT on the apron by Robinson and he goes up. Diving head butt by Robinson gets 2. Back drop by Elgin and they trade lariats. Hard forearm by Elgin and he peppers Robinson. Spin kick by Robinson and both men are down. Lariat by Elgin and he hits a power bomb for 2. Elgin goes up and he hits a flying splash for 2. Release German suplex by Robinson and Elgin comes back with a super kick. Elgin goes up but Robinson brings him off with a sit-out power bomb for 2!!! Robinson dumps Elgin to the floor and he hits a cannonball against the railings. Back in, he goes for another cannonball but Elgin catches him and hits a power bomb. Elgin Bomb gets 3!!! Elgin thanks the fans who cheered during the match while he tells the fans who sat on their hands he wishes he never came back to the states.
Winner- Michael Elgin ***1/2 ( They were put in a tough spot having to follow Pentagon/Fenix, as the fans were not as hot for this as they should have been. It’s a shame because this was a really good competitive match, with Elgin throwing his awesome array of power spots and Robinson matched him in intensity. Robinson has shown great improvements in his time with New Japan and if he continues to work with guys like Elgin and others on the independent scene, he will only get better. )

Eddie Kingston warns everyone that Homicide is coming in June.

AAW Tag Team Championships- Besties in the World (Mat Fitchett and Davey Vega )© vs. Moose and AR Fox
Fitchett and Fox start. They grapple to start and we reach a stalemate. Vega tags in and he overpowers Fox, so he tags Moose in. He scares Vega so he tags Fitchett back in. Forearms by Fitchett and Vega blind tags in again. Moose slams him and Fox tags in. He presses Fox onto Vega for 2 and he catches Vega with a dropkick. Twister by Fox gets 2. Tag to Moose and he dropkicks Vega off the top and down to the floor. Back in, Moose hits a back senton and Fox follows up with a Swanton Bomb for 2. Tag to Fitchett and he leaps off the top but misses Fox and nails Vega. Flatliner by Vega and Fitchett follows up with a standing moonsault for 2. Vega works Fox over in the corner and Fitchett tags in. He tries to hold Fox down on the mat and he catches Fox with a suplex for 2. Tag to Vega and Fox uses him to hit a Sliced Bread #2 on Fitchett. Ace Crusher on Vega and Moose tags in. He cleans house and he hits avalanches in the corner on the champs. Springboard crossbody by Moose and Vega catches him with an enzuigiri. Fox catches him with one and Fitchett hits a super kick. Discus lariat by Moose and he hits the Sky High on Vega for 2. Super kick by Vega and Fitchett tags in. Assisted Roll of the Dice on Moose gets 2!!! Springboard dropkick by Fox to Fitchett and Vega catches him with an Yakuza kick. He low bridges Moose and he attempts a slingshot hurricanrana to the floor but Moose catches him and powerbombs him against a support beam!!!!! Summersault plancha to the floor by Fitchett!!! Springboard inverted summersault plancha to the floor!!!! Back in, Fox goes up for the 450 splash but Vega moves. Low Mein Pain by Fox and he goes up. He leaps but Fitchett moves. Pele by Fitchett and he catches Moose with one as well. Moose answers back with a Spear for 2 as Vega pulls the ref out of the ring!!! Suicide dive by Fox to Vega. Fitchett rolls Moose up for 2 and Fox tags in. He goes up but Vega shoves him off onto the apron!!! Fitchett hits a Capo kick in the corner followed by a Tornado DDT on Moose. Tilt-a-whirl driver by Fitchett gets 3!!!
Winners and Still AAW Tag Team Champions- Besties in the World ***3/4 ( Man, this match was a blast. Like the Briscoes/War Machine match from ROH, they pretty much ignored the idea of a heat segment and just went into a wild and chaotic stretch that was consistently entertaining. It went just a tad over the top with the no selling off of crazy spots for my liking but it doesn’t take away how truly fun this was. )

Scarlett Bordeaux claims wrestling owes her everything because she’s so damn good at it. She gets away with everything and she says Braxton and Machete knows she leads men to greatness. She claims they will get everything they want.

Video package for Callihan/Ciampa airs.

AAW Heavyweight Championship- Sami Callihan w/Dave Crist and JT Davidson © vs. Tomasso Ciampa
Davidson and Crist bring some weapons in the ring prior to the match and Callihan has him leave as he wants to win on his own. Callihan charges but Ciampa catches him and hits a DVD into a guardrail in the corner for 2!!! Ciampa looks to suplex Callihan to the floor but he blocks and knocks Ciampa off the apron with a springboard lariat. Suicide dive to the floor by Callihan!!! Callihan works Ciampa over on the floor and he chargers but Ciampa dumps him into the front row. Ciampa hits a cross body off the barricade onto Callihan in the crowd. They brawl in the crowd and they fight on top of the bar. DVD ONTO THE BAR BY CALLIHAN!!!!! They trade blows and finally head back into the ring. Callihan tosses a chair at the head of Ciamp and he drives two chairs into the leg of Ciampa. They trade blows again and Ciampa wins that battle with a lariat. Ciampa misses a charge in the corner and Callihan hits a corner enzuigiri. Hanging flatliner by Ciampa gets 2. Running knee by Ciampa and they head up. Callihan clips Ciampa to bring him down and he hits a sit-out powerbomb for 2. Stretch Muffler by Callihan but Ciampa counters with a small package for 2. Discus lariat by Ciampa and he hits Project Ciampa for 2 as Dave Crist saves!!!! Eddie Kingston comes out and goes after Crist, sending him into the crowd for some brawling. Jessicka Havoc comes out and power bombs Ciampa!!! She puts Callihan on top and he gets 2 count!!! Callihan goes for a bicycle kick but misses and nails Havoc!!! Another Project Ciampa gets 2!!! Ciampa sets up a table in the ring but the time it takes allows Callihan to nail him in the head with a trash can. He puts the trash can over the head of Ciampa and nails him with a chair. Ciampa is busted open as Callihan hammers the open wound. Another trash can shot from Callihan and he puts Ciampa on the table. He goes up but Ciampa stops him and follows up. Air Raid Crash off the top onto the table by Ciampa gets 2!!! Ciampa pulls out a THUMBTACK KNEEPAD!!!! He goes for a knee strike but Callihan rolls him up for 2. Punches in the corner by Callihan but Ciampa traps him in the corner and hits the knee strike with the pad!!!! PROJECT CIAMPA ON THE KNEE PAD GETS 2!!!! Callihan goes low using the knee pad and he hits a Package Tombstone onto a trash can for 2!!! They trade blows and Callihan repeatedly drives a chair into the neck of Ciampa. Knee strike by Ciampa and he grabs a bridging arm bar!!! Callihan reverses into the Stretch Muffler and Ciampa passes out!!!
Winner and Still AAW Heavyweight Champion- Sami Callihan ***3/4 ( If they had went right from the interference segment and near fall off the first Project Ciampa right into the stretch with the knee pad, this would have been perfect. They did just a little too much, going over the top with the amount of stuff Callihan kicked out of and going a little longer than when they hit their peak. That being said, this was an excellent brawl with phenomenal storytelling. The interference made sense, Callihan comes out of this looking like the unbeatable force of the promotion and Ciampa is the golden boy of AAW. A well done main event that was just on the cusp of greatness. )

Davey Vega wants to hold on to both championship belts but Fitchett convinces him to give the belt back to him. They turn their attention to the Hooligans, who get their rematch next month. Vega declares they’re keeping the belts next month and it’s revealed they are cutting a promo in the bathroom, with ACH popping out after finishing his business.

Tommaso Ciampa says his chance for the big belt is over but he’s not going anywhere. He says he’ll work from the bottom to get his championship back and he says next month, it’s Ciampa vs. The World.

Sami Callihan says he did what he promised to do and says he’s worthy of the championship. Callihan warns Eddie Kingston and Homicide that they’re facing two of the most vicious men in wrestling next month in himself and Dave Crist.

Pentagon Jr. declares himself Sami Callihan’s next challenger on July 23rd.

8.0
The final score: review Very Good
The 411
AAW has been getting a ton of buzz so far in 2016 on the back of the caliber of talent they have been bringing in combined with the quality of their shows. This show reflects that the buzz is well justified. This was a great show and had the feel of an old 2004/2005 ROH show. The big stars they brought in like Pentagon, Fenix, and Moose worked their asses off, the wrestling on the card for the most part was outstanding, and if you were a newcomer to AAW they made it very easy to figure out the major feuds going on. This show closed certain chapters like the Ciampa title chase and set the stage for their next two shows, doing a terrific job of getting exciting to check out their next couple of events. This was a well balanced show that has a little something for everybody and is more than worth your time, especially for the Pentagon/Fenix match.
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