Post by Ross Report on Nov 1, 2019 22:01:49 GMT
I'm back from my vacation, and it seems I missed a hell of a show this past weekend when the EWA rolled into Amarillo for its fifth annual All Hallows' Evil! Luckily for yours truly, the EWA Network is a cheap and easy way to play catch-up, meaning I've got plenty to talk about!
How about we start things off with our special host for the evening, Joe Bob Briggs. The host of "The Last Drive-In" might not be a major household name, but much like Elvira and Svengoolie in years gone by, he certainly knew his onions when it came to the EWA product, providing an entertaining running commentary throughout the show that gave All Hallows' Evil a distinctly unique feel. And let's give a tip of the hat to Darcy The Mail Girl too, who did her best to keep Joe Bob in line as the night went on! On that same subject, it was also a pleasure to hear Terry Funk join Don and Scott on commentary as well. We don't see the former Triple Crown Champion enough these days for my liking, but between him and his brother Dory Jr acting as special ringside official for our mammoth main event, All Hallows' Evil was certainly a homecoming of sorts for the Funks!
The in-ring action got underway with a heated grudge match pitting Charlotte Flair against Rhea Ripley. "The Full Metal Maniac" has been forced to jump through a whole lot of hoops to get her hands on Flair, and one might question if all of that effort took a toll on the talented Australian powerhouse. Indeed, despite an initial flurry from Ripley, Charlotte Flair arguably looked the fresher competitor of the two, while also having the added benefit of Lacey Evans in her corner as well. After Lacey saved "The Queen" from a missile dropkick, the entire complexion of the match changed in a big way, as Flair focused in on her opponent's leg before eventually cinching in the dreaded Figure Eight to force the submission. This was no doubt a tough break for Rhea, especially after clamoring for this match for so long, but it's another feather in the cap for Charlotte Flair. It's never been a secret how talented "The Nature Girl" is, and chances are she'll be looking to get back into title contention now that she's conquered Ripley.
Elsewhere, there were rumors of a potential triple threat match being added to the All Hallows' Evil card earlier in the week, one which would pit three former "Kings of Wrestling" against one another. Instead, we witnessed a Chris Hero interview with Renee Young, where "The Knockout Artist" vented his frustrations after Samoa Joe turned on him during the tag match against Cesaro and "UltraMantis Black" one week prior. When the "Swiss Cyborg" interrupted Hero, it was soon decided that the two of them and Samoa Joe would have that eagerly-anticipated triple threat match this coming Sunday on SLAM! instead, seemingly setting the stage for the final showdown in this battle between former "Kings!" And to add an extra wrinkle to proceedings, we've since learned that Cesaro's spot in this year's King of the Ring tournament is up for grabs as well, meaning either Hero or Samoa Joe could slip in through the backdoor and gun for that coveted crown!
In six man tag team action, "The Glorious Bs" looked to bounce back after last month's loss to the Briscoes by taking out the "G.O.D." once and for all. It's fair to say "Pastor" Bobby and his cohorts have had the better of their opponents over the last month, but when Tama Tonga and Tanga Loa brought in Bad Luck Fale to bolster the ranks on the final SLAM! before All Hallows' Evil, that swung the pendulum of momentum in their favor! Here we were seven days later and this match was everything you expected it to be and then some! "The Funker" called this a "Pier Six Brawl" on commentary, and he certainly wasn't wrong, folks! As such, it took a while for the official to take control, with the "Guerrillas of Destiny" seemingly having the "Bs" number in the early goings. Despite a brief comeback from Roode, Corbin and Dallas, the size and strength of Bad Luck Fale seemingly had the "G.O.D." on course for the victory, until Fale decided to set up a table rather than go for the win over "Baby" Bo. I guess you can't blame either him or his Tongan partners for wanting to inflict as much damage as possible given what Roode's crew have put them through over this last month, but doing so allowed Baron Corbin to pick up a crucial tag and catch Fale unawares! Soon enough, all six men were back in and duking it out once again, where "Pastor" Bobby was able to barge Fale off the apron in the confusion, putting him right through the waiting table! At the same time, Corbin delivered a soul-shattering End of Days to Tanga Loa and this one was all over quicker than a hiccup! Say what you will about the "Glorious Bs," but there's no doubting how effective a unit they are despite the obvious differences within the group. Let's not take anything away from the "Guerrillas of Destiny" though, who took their opponents to the limit and only just came up short! I'm sure it's only a matter of time before they shake off this loss and get back to winning ways again!
Next up was a Trick or Treat Tag Team Street Fight that saw "Model of Truth" looking to gain a measure of revenge over "The Honky Tonk Man" and my old pal Jerry "The King" Lawler, after the Memphis legends cost them a shot at the Tag Titles! I'll admit, I wasn't entirely sure what to expect when this one was announced, but it quickly started the way it was destined to go on, with all kinds of Halloween-themed goodies being used as weapons! From broomsticks to tombstones to candy baskets, Rick "The Model" Martel and R-Truth used everything at their disposal to try and put their opponents down! One particular highlight even saw Martel send "Mr Shake, Rattle And Roll" bobbing for apples, albeit against "Honky's" will! Indeed, between that and Jerry Lawler ending up face-first in a pumpkin pie, it was a rough night for Memphis' "favorite" sons! And even Jimmy Hart got caught in the crossfire as well, after a wicked scissors kick from R-Truth wiped "The Mouth of the South" out following some interference in the match! The two "Santanic Clown Posse" stalwarts would then set up a veritable pumpkin patch of Jack O'Lanterns with the intent of putting "The King" through it, yet "Honky Tonk Man" temporarily saved the day only to quickly find himself in trouble! However, Lawler using some cobweb spray turned things back in their favor as they put Martel through the pumpkin patch with a double suplex before finally finishing him off with a Spike Piledriver to pick up the win! Still, given the punishment they took from their opponents in this one, I dare say neither "Honky" or "The King" looked much like winners when it was all said and done!
Despite having a National Championship opportunity to focus on, "MJF" almost seemed more determined to reclaim his prized Burberry scarf as he brutally assaulted "Show E." backstage with a steel chair! It looked as if Friedman was willing to break the giant's hand if it would mean removing the handcuffs attached to the pink briefcase in which the scarf was stored, but thankfully, Buh Buh Ray Dudley and the rest of the "Flamingo Family" arrived in time to run "The Top 1%er" off! That led to an interesting battle later in the show, where it was revealed that if Bubbs was disqualified again like in their first go-around at High Tension, "The Salt of the Earth" would win the National Championship! Perhaps that's why Buh Buh Ray seized the early advantage here, punishing "MJF's" ribcage, which as anyone will tell you who's broken a rib before, is a damn painful injury. However, Maxwell Jacob Friedman is the kind of cunning competitor that is adept at finding and, if need be, creating openings in matches via whatever means necessary. So much so in fact, his antics even got the rest of the "Flamingo Family" ejected from ringside, taking away Dudley's support network! Still, credit where credit is due, the man from Dudleyville kept digging deep in his efforts to retain his title, even scoring a close call with a devastating Buh Buh Bomb from out of nowhere! Alas, thanks to the punishment suffered at "MJF's" hands, he was unable to make the cover right away, giving time enough for "The Top 1%er" to kick out! As Friedman again turned things around and threatened to go for his patented armbar submission, Buh Buh somehow escaped before surprising his opponent with an O'Connor roll to walk out with the gold! Still, an argument can be made that "MJF" got the last laugh when he finally managed to get his hands back on the Burberry scarf before beating a hasty retreat!
I genuinely believe that in another life, JoJo and Sasha Banks could have been great friends. Yet with the way things have panned out between them thanks to the issues surrounding Bradley/Bayley, it was never meant to be here in the EWA. As such, "The Boss" came into this match all fired up, quickly catching her veteran opponent off guard. However, Sasha's near obsession with proving Bradley is Bayley opened the door for JoJo to turn things around, albeit briefly. Try as she might, the Women's Champion didn't seem to know how to counteract the ruthless aggression being shown by her challenger, with Banks tapping into a new side of herself. I never thought we'd see the day where Sasha would embrace her darker impulses like she did this past Sunday, but I suppose you can't really argue with the results. Especially not when both competitors accidentally knocked Bradley off the apron and seemingly injured him in the process. However, just when it looked like they'd agreed to put their rivalry to one side for the moment to check on Bradley, Sasha suddenly rolled JoJo up and stole one! Sure, I bet there's some folks out there who think Banks had every right to capitalize on that opening, but that doesn't change the fact it'll no doubt stick in JoJo's craw that her reign ended in such a deceptive way. And truth be told, I'm wondering if Sasha Banks can even look herself in the mirror after the depths she went to finally capture the Women's Title.
Elsewhere in the division, Kelly Klein's quest to face Toni Storm in another match finally came to a head...only for Kelly to discover yet another monkey in the wrench. Things started off with Storm seemingly offering a handshake before going low when Klein understandably refused it, leading to Toni taking her opponent to the proverbial whipping shed. Quite literally in fact, as she took Don West's belt and struck "The Final Girl" again and again and again before choking her out with it! This one looked like it was only going to go one way, yet Kelly Klein showed incredible heart to battle back, trapping her long-time rival in a painful looking STF! Before Toni Storm could tap though, EWA producer Dean Malenko once again stuck his nose in this conflict, this time by physically breaking up the submission attempt and then replacing Storm as Klein's opponent! Talk about over-stepping professional boundaries! As an EWA official, Malenko has a duty to be impartial at all times, yet that went out the window here as he allowed his apparent relationship with Storm to override his senses! Ultimately though, it was an effort which backfired as Malenko went for his trademark Texas Cloverleaf, only to find himself driven into the ring post and caught with a roll-up! However, while Klein may have got some payback over "The Iceman," I can't help but wonder if she'll be truly satisfied until she finally defeats Toni Storm in a fair fight!
If you've been a regular reader of the Ross Reports over the last month or so, you'll know my patience has worn a little thin with our new sponsor, "The Simon System." The way Simon Dean has gone about demonstrating his specialized weight loss/healthy living methodology has been downright humiliating for various members of the EWA Universe, to the point where it almost seemed like he was being cruel for cruelty's sake. Well, Simon went way over the line last Sunday when he rounded on a small child in the audience, making the boy cry his heart out in front of a worldwide audience because he dared to want a piece of candy. Thankfully though, Trent Seven was on hand to stick up for the youngster, having found himself the subject of Simon's ridicule on the previous week's SLAM! "The Don" stuck up for all us "plus-size" people before demanding Dean get to stepping, leading to Seven taking out Otis and then officially ending Simon Dean's EWA sponsorship with one hell of a Seven Stars Lariat! And now that the deal is done, let me just get this off my chest..."The Simon System" is a rip-off and it sucks. Man, does it feel good to finally be honest about that goof!
Back to business, and the duo of Trevor Murdoch and Heath Slater arguably had a better October than just about anyone else in the EWA. This duo came into the company with little fanfare and quickly amassed a series of victories that saw them win the Briscoe Barnyard Brawl and earn a title opportunity against "Dem Boys From Delaware." It's worth noting as well, the Briscoes have owned the tag division for the better part of five months now, proving themselves to be a tough combo to beat. That set us up for a wild tag team encounter, one where things quickly got off to a hectic start which saw the action not only spill out of the ring, but backstage as well! Even Tammy Sytch got in on the act, only to have Heath Slater take advantage of that situation, much to Tammy's displeasure, shall we say! Meanwhile, Mark Briscoe and Trevor Murdoch returned from their sojourn in the back armed with PLUNDAH, as Murdoch used a trash can to get one over on the younger Briscoe before joining forces with his partner once again. Despite the best efforts of the champions to turn things around, Jay and Mark finally succumbed to the inevitable when Tammy Sytch inadvertently blinded Jay with her hairspray rather than her original target, Trevor Murdoch! As such, Murdoch and Slater didn't even have to utilize their patented double implant DDT known as Southern Discomfort to put the elder Briscoe away, as Slater wiped out Jay by his lonesome and Murdoch stopped Mark from breaking up the count to secure their fourth straight win! Talk about shaking up the entire division, as the Briscoes impressive run comes to an end while Trevor Murdoch and Heath Slater look damn near unbeatable right now! Indeed, with the form they're in, it's going to take some effort to take those titles away from this "Sweet and Sour" combination!
Over the course of the past week or so, it's fair to say we've seen a new, more honest side to Marty Scurll. That was especially evident before his World Championship showdown with Pete Dunne, where "The Villain" was interviewed by Renee Young and seemed determined to prove he didn't need "The Horde" or anyone else to be a success. Of course, an environment like a Texas Death Match has little regard for the best of intentions though! Indeed, much has been made about this unique stipulation in recent weeks, perhaps promising more than Scurll and Dunne could actually deliver. Yet incredibly, these two hardened ring warriors more than managed to live up to the hype with one of the damnedest fights I've ever seen! And yes, I'm deliberately using the word "fight" there! Things may have started off in a more traditional sense, but it didn't take long before the brutality got amped up in a major way, with both champion and challenger showing their familiarity with one another after two classic matches in as many months! Honestly, I don't think I've ever seen as many head butts exchanged between two superstars as we did in this one, and how neither one of them came out of this one with a concussion I'll never know! I've got to say, I thought for sure we'd see the first fall after Scurll took Dunne down with a piledriver, the same move he used so effectively to seemingly end Darby Allin's career, but Dunne kept fighting! However, things took a surprising turn when after even more back-and-forth action, Dunne was the one who resorted to playing into the No DQ nature of the match first, blasting Scurll with not one but two low blows in quick succession, allowing him to pick up the first fall! After surviving the subsequent ten count, Scurll fought tooth and nail to get back into the contest, finally managing to trap his opponent in his trademark Crossface Chickenwing! With all the damage that "The Villain" had done to Pete's arm throughout the contest up to that point, it was little surprise that Dunne tapped out almost immediately, tactically giving himself some much-needed recovery time while the official held Marty Scurll back. After tying Dunne up in the ropes, a wild shot to the cranium with the EWA World Championship sent both superstars tumbling to the floor, where "The Villain" began putting a chair to good use against the "British Strong Style" member before finally securing another fall. I'm amazed Dunne survived that onslaught, let alone found a way back into the contest after sending Marty head-first into the guard rail, busting him open and then pinning him after a chair shot of his own! Make no mistake, this was Pete Dunne at his most vicious and vindictive here, and while you can understand that mindset after everything that's happened these last few months, there were times it made for an uncomfortable watch. Case in point, after surviving three shots to the head from three fans' phones, Scurll was soon whipped like a government mule thanks to the bullwhip Dunne purloined from Dory Funk Jr! Yet to his credit, Scurll refused to say uncle, blinding Dunne with a beer long enough for him to nail a tornado DDT on the concrete floor and score another pinfall, only for Dunne to somehow find the wherewithal to get back up once again! With the champion in trouble, it looked as if the end was near, but it turned out to be a Bitter End instead after Dunne gouged Scurll's eyes and laid him out. Yet when Scurll continued to show signs of life, Dunne's eagerness worked against him, as he dragged his opponent up in search of the Better End instead, only to see it countered into a surprise Tombstone piledriver right on top of the steel stairs, closely followed by a regular version for good measure! That was enough to split the "Bruiserweight's" skull open and finally render him incapable of getting back to a vertical base before the ten count, bringing this mother of all slobberknockers to a dramatic conclusion!
It was about 20+ years ago that I dubbed "Stone Cold" Steve Austin the toughest SOB in the business, but after what we witnessed last Sunday, I think that accolade now belongs to Marty Scurll. "The Villain" put in one of the gutsiest performances I've ever witnessed and survived a level of blood loss and violence that would have easily broken a normal man. And in so doing, it sure sounded like he may have won the respect of the EWA Universe too, something I never thought I'd see! Yet it's a testament to the sheer resoluteness of Scurll that he kept coming back and refused to stay down. And that's not to take anything away from Pete Dunne either. The "Bruiserweight" gave it everything he had as well, proving his own toughness a hundred times over, but it just wasn't meant to be on this particular night. Needless to say, I'm intrigued to see how Dunne bounces back from this disappointment, both physically and mentally, especially with a tough first round match in this year's King of the Ring just around the corner. In the meantime though, Marty Scurll is back on top of the mountain once again, but as Marty knows all too well, winning the gold is only the start of the journey, not the conclusion. It's only a matter of time before his first challenger steps up to the plate, whoever that may end up being, but I've no doubt "The Villain" will be ready for them!
With All Hallows' Evil officially in the bag then, let's take a look at my top three movers and shakers from last week:
1. Marty Scurll
2. Trevor Murdoch/Heath Slater
3. Sasha Banks
It's no coincidence that all three picks are our three new champions coming out of last Sunday's show. A third straight loss to Pete Dunne could have conceivably spelled the end of Marty Scurll's EWA career, yet he managed to finally defeat the "Bruiserweight" and recapture the top prize in the game, all while doing so in one of the most violent matches in EWA history! In at number two, Murdoch and Slater capped off an amazing month by landing their fourth straight win and dethroning the seemingly unbeatable Briscoes! No mean feat, let me tell you! And last but by no means least, Sasha Banks gets the nod for third place, having tapped into a new aggressive side that JoJo simply couldn't contend with. The Bradley/Bayley saga might not have been settled, but "The Boss" might not care now she holds the gold!
It's no exaggeration to say that All Hallows' Evil may go down as one of the most noteworthy shows of the year. It feels like the entire landscape of the company has shifted, and adding to that feeling is the up-coming 2019 King of the Ring, with the brackets having been announced earlier this week! We've got a huge 16 man tournament this year which has the potential for plenty of upsets and surprises as we head towards the finals on November 24 from Greensboro, North Carolina! This week's first round matches will see Tom Lawlor facing Crazzy Steve, a good ol' fashioned hoss battle between Brady Pierce and Harper, The Reaper taking on newcomer Shawn Spears, and Tommaso Ciampa squaring off against Jon Moxley! And if that wasn't enough to whet your whistle, there's also a blockbuster triple threat match between Cesaro, Chris Hero and Samoa Joe to look forward to, as "The Kings of Wrestling" explode! In short then, this week's SLAM! is one you don't want to miss! Until next time,
BOOMER SOONER!
