AAW One Twisted Christmas 2013
Berwyn, Illinois 12/28/13
1.) Marcus Edwards vs. Moondog Bernard: DUD
These two have very....interesting gimmicks to say the least, especially Bernard. The match doesn't last long as Keith Walker makes his way out with Kevin Harvey & Nikki Mayday. Walkers lays out both guys and Harvey demands that Michael Elgin come out and have a rematch with Walker, after their first meeting ended with Elgin winning in controversial fashion. Elgin is quick to answer the challenge.
2.) Keith Walker (with Kevin Harvey & Nikki Mayday) vs. "Unbreakable" Michael Elgin: ***1/4
This was a pretty good big man match. It's not often that you see Michael Elgin wrestle somebody that's bigger than him, but he worked pretty well with Keith Walker. Elgin is able to overcome interference from Walker's returning We Are Here stablemate Tweek Phoenix to score the win.
3.) AAW Heritage Title - Matt Cage vs. Mallaki Matthews: **
Matt Cage won the AAW Heritage Title from ACH at the previous show. Tonight he's defending against a relative unknown in Mallaki Matthews. It was an ok match. This was more of a showcase for Matt Cage if anything else, and it helped get his character over. Not much else besides that.
Before the next match, we get a promo from MsChif. She was originally scheduled to be in the Fans Bring The Weapons Match, but she announces that she has to pull out due to her recently becoming pregnant. This brings out The House of Truth and Truth Martini talks about MsChif being pregnant (Truth Martini & MsChif have a long history in AAW). He then has Heather Patera & Knight Wagner hold MsChif back and it looks like he's going to hit MsChif in her gut, but Heidi Lovelace & Tony Rican make the save and our next match is underway!
4.) Fans Bring The Weapons Match - The House of Truth (Heather Patera & Knight Wagner with Truth Martini) vs. Heidi Lovelace & Tony Rican: **1/4
This match is a Christmas Tradition for AAW. We saw so much variety in this when it came to weapons. Smurf Dolls, Ironing Boards, Plastic Guitar Hero Guitars, Trash Cans, and a lot more. The match itself was fine, but it just didn't come off as a very interesting hardcore match. Knight Wagner scores the win for the H.O.T. after hitting Rican with a sick move onto some thumbtacks.
5.) Colt Cabana vs. Tweek Phoenix (with Kevin Harvey, Nikki Mayday & Keith Walker): **
For some reason, I feel like I've seen this match before. Anyway, there's nothing much to say about this one. It was ok. Cabana gets the win with The Billy Goat's Curse.
6.) Davey Richards vs. Jimmy Jacobs: ****
These two have met occasionally in ROH but their encounters have been few and far in between. This was a great match. We all know how good Richards is, and Jacobs was great in here as well. We usually see Jacobs as a heel in most promotions he wrestles in, so it's refreshing to see him work as the underdog babyface, which Jacobs plays very well. After great back & forth action, Jimmy Jacobs gets Davey Richards to tap out to the End Time.
After the match, Jimmy Jacobs cuts a promo putting over Davey Richards, saying he is without a doubt, one of the best wrestlers in the world (Richards was on his way out to go to either WWE or TNA at the time). Richards returns the favor to Jacobs. He then says it was all the years busting his butt and honing his skills on the independent circuit that got him to where he is about to go.
Before the next match, Marcus Crane has a gift to give to Dan Lawrence to help cheer him up after the crappy Christmas he had (in fact, the whole group of Lawrence, Crane, Shane Hollister & Scarlett Bordeaux all had a crappy Christmas after Hollister lost the AAW Heavyweight Title to Kevin Steen the month before). It ended up being a bottle of some alcoholic beverage and wants to throw a party. Of course, the mere mention of alcohol and a party brings out Arik Cannon. Lawrence says Cannon isn't invited and Cannon smacks him with a beer bottle. Lawrence & Crane double team Cannon until Ryan Boz comes out and we have a match.
7.) Dan Lawrence & Marcus Crane vs. Arik Cannon & Ryan Boz: *3/4
Not really much to say about this one. It was there. Cannon & Boz pick up the win.
8.) Eddie Kingston vs. Silas Young (with Val Malone): ***1/4
These two have been feuding ever since Eddie Kingston made his debut in AAW earlier in the year. By virtue of winning the AAW Allegiance Tag Team Tournament with Jimmy Jacobs, Silas Young got to book himself in any match he wanted, so it was no surprise that he wanted a match with Eddie Kingston. The match itself was a pretty good brawl. A Ladder & the Steel Steps all became involved, and Young was eventually able to pick up the win.
After the match, Kingston attacks Silas. He uses duct tape to tie Young to the ropes. Kingston then takes Young's wife/valet, Val Malone, and gives her a brainbuster onto a chair!! After Kingston exits, Malone is quickly attended to by a number of people, as well as Silas once he is cut free from the ropes. Powerful stuff.
9.) AAW Tag Team Titles - Three Way Elimination Match - Kung Fu Manchu (Louis Lyndon & Marion Fontaine) vs. Zero Gravity vs. Men Of The Year (#ALLEGO & "Unbreakable" Michael Elgin): ****
#ALLEGO had a tag title shot, but was without his usual Monster Mafia partner, so he chose Michael Elgin to take his place. This is Elgin's second match of the night. This was a pretty great match. You had a really good mix with the smaller guys in Kung Fu Manchu & Zero Gravity against the larger team, which #ALLEGO had dubbed The Men Of The Year. Lyndon & Fontaine were eliminated first, meaning that new champions would be crowned! Eventually, Elgin & #ALLEGO were able to put away Zero Gravity, and captured the Tag Team Titles!
10.) AAW Heavyweight Title - Kevin Steen vs. Shane Hollister (with Scarlett Bordeaux & Marcus Crane): ***3/4
At last month's show, Windy City Classic IX, Kevin Steen defeated Shane Hollister, in what was Steen's first match in AAW, to capture the AAW Heavyweight Title. This is the rematch. It was a pretty solid Main Event. It's wasn't quite Match of the Night, but it was still very good. Kevin Steen is always entertaining and never fails to disappoint. Hollister got to show a lot of stuff in here as well, and he is finally able to put away Steen to recapture the AAW Heavyweight Title! He celebrates with Scarlett Bordeaux & Marcus Crane as the show goes off the air.
Overall: 8.0/10
Even though the rating would seem to indicate otherwise, this show was a relatively mixed bag. You have several really good, even great, matches on here. Richards/Jacobs and the two title matches were well worth the purchase. You also had a very sold match with Michael Elgin & Keith Walker along with a good match with major storyline advancement in Eddie Kingston vs. Silas Young. Then you have a lot of stuff that was ok/average at best. You had a number of matches that hovered around the two star range, and honestly weren't that entertaining. This show had a lot ups and downs, but the stuff that was good definitely out-weighs the stuff that's not so good. A solid outing for the most part from AAW.
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