By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
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Absolute Intense Wrestling “Shook Ones”
Streamed on TrillerTV+
June 22, 2024 in Akron, Ohio at Tadmor Shrine Center
The venue is a fairly dark, windowless room, and the crowd was maybe 300-400. (Until very recently, this space had bright, busy murals I found distracting, but this room is now just too dark!) Matt Wadsworth and Nathan Zegura provided commentary.
1. Mikey Montgomery defeated Dex Royal, Austin James, Tyson Riggs, Vik Vice, Shelby Wylder in a six-way scramble at 9:29. James is the baseball player in his full uniform with bat, backward hat and sunglasses. Riggs is the kid in the black karate robe. Vik is Black with long dreadlocks and he’s a babyface. Mikey has short floppy hair and I always compare him to a young “Spanky” Brian Kendrick. I saw many of these guys for the first time on an AIW show I watched last week. Wylder pulled a ladder out from under the ring; Tyson put it right back and waved his arms in a ‘no!’ motion and was booed. Dex hit a springboard clothesline at 2:00. James put a chair over Vik’s face and hit a dropkick on it.
Tyson hit a German Suplex. He powerbombed Mikey onto several opponents on the floor at 4:00. Dex hit a doublestomp on Vik, then a plancha onto several opponents on the floor. Montgomery climbed a ladder leaning against the ropes and hit a flip dive onto several opponents on the floor at 6:30. Wylder hit a Trustfall splash off the ladder onto several opponents on the floor. Dex did a springboard off the ropes and caught Wylder and hit a stunner off the ladder, earning a “holy shit!” chant. James powerbombed Riggs onto a ladder in the corner at 8:30. Montgomery hit a Sliced Bread on James. He then hit a rolling Death Valley Driver on Vik onto the ladder for the pin. Good action.
Three people were brought out to be judges at ringside, including Jerry Lynn and Tom Lawlor.
2. Dominic Garrini defeated Shaw Mason at 9:56. Again, Mason comes out with the medals around his neck as a clear tribute in style to Kurt Angle. They immediately traded mat reversals, and Garrini applied a Triangle Choke, and Shaw grabbed the ropes. Shaw hit a double underhook suplex, and Garrini grabbed the ropes at 2:00, and they continued to trade holds on the mat. Shaw hit a back suplex at 5:00 and they were both down. Shaw hit a belly-to-belly overhead suplex and a spear into the corner, then an Exploder Suplex for a nearfall. Shaw hit a Dragon Suplex for a nearfall. Dominic hit some Yes Kicks at 8:30. Shaw hit an Angle Slam and applied an anklelock; Garrini reached the ropes but he had no rope breaks left! He kicked free, dropped Shaw throat-first on the middle rope, rolled him up and got the flash pin!
3. Xia Brookside defeated Katie Arquette (w/Derek Dillinger), Gabby Forza, and Joseline Navarro in a four-way at 7:45. Gabby and Xia traded offense while the other two were on the floor. Joseline tossed Xia to the floor onto the other two; she set up for a dive, but Gabby hit Joseline with a road sign. Arquette hit a stiff kick to Gabby’s spine at 3:30. Joseline hit a road sign against Gabby’s back, and Katie powerbombed Gabby onto two open chairs at 5:30! Joseline hit a dropkick in the corner on Katie. Xia hopped on Joseline’s back to choke her, but Joseline hit a backpack stunner. Xia flipped Joseline out of the corner onto the other two! Xia then pinned Joseline! Fun match.
* Cleveland Browns analyst Nathan Zegura hit the ring with a mic. He mentioned being friends with Matt Cardona and the Miz and has the “upmost respect” for wrestlers, but he doesn’t respect those who cheat. He called out Members Only, Malcolm Cambridge and Calvin G. Lewis! They came out and berated the crowd. They threatened to leave. They headed into the ring with chairs, so Zegura ducked out of the ring. He said he knows some wrestlers who will take them on.
4. “Members Only” Malcolm Cambridge and Calvin G. Lewis defeated Joshua Bishop and Tom Lawlor at 16:41. They immediately brawled on the floor. None of these four are in traditional wrestling gear, although Bishop has his shoulder brace on. Lawlor hit a flying spear into the corner. Bishop hit a Black Hole Slam on the bald Lewis. Bishop and Lawlor hit planchas at 3:00 and they were in charge. Lawlor held Lewis’ arms, allowing Zegura to chop Lewis. They brawled up the short bleachers and to the top and the babyfaces threw Members Only into the wall.
They returned to ringside at 7:00, and Bishop whipped Lewis into a street sign. In the ring, Lawlor and Cambridge brawled. Cambridge cracked a kendo stick over Bishop’s head, and Lewis hit his opponents with a tack-covered plastic baseball bat. They hit a Team 3D on Bishop through a table at 9:30! Cambridge kicked at a chair in Lawlor’s hands, and Lewis got a nearfall on Tom. Lawlor put Lewis in a Sharpshooter but Cambridge kicked Lawlor to make the save at 12:00.
Lawlor applied a front guillotine choke on Lewis and we had some awkward moments as Cambridge was slow to act. Bishop hit some release suplexes. Lawlor and Bishop hit a team chokeslam on Cambridge for a nearfall at 14:30. MO hit a team DDT move on Bishop for a nearfall but Lawlor made the save. Bishop and Lawlor hit stereo spears and they set up for their finishers. However, Karen Jarrett appeared on the stage, holding a guitar that read “Don’t Piss Me Off” and distracted them! Cambridge and Lewis got rollups for the pin!
* Karen got on the mic and introduced herself. She said Bishop and Lawlor cheat with their “underhanded shenanigans, just like the Cleveland Browns.” Jeff Jarrett attacked Bishop and Lawlor from behind, and he hit a Stroke on Nathan Zegura! He repeatedly jabbed a chair into Lawlor’s gut. Jeff then shattered his guitar over Zegura’s head! Jarrett and Members Only did the Fargo Strut across the ring and were booed. Sam Halloway ran to the ring to make the save! Jarrett retreated to the stage and got on the mic. “Zegura, you are used to taking ass-whuppins’; you’re associated with the Cleveland Browns,” Jeff said. He vowed this was the last time Zegura calls out Members Only. Zegura got on the mic and challenged them to an eight-man brawl. Jarrett agreed, but added he will be bringing Satnum Singh to be the fourth member of his team!
5. Derek Dillinger (w/Katie Arquette) defeated Tyler Jordan, Tre Lemar, and Max Caster in a four-way at 11:01. Again, I have compared Tyler Jordan to WWE’s Jason Jordan; he clearly has some amateur wrestling background, and I think he’s one of their talented young core. Max was a babyface here and ‘scissored’ hands with fans at ringside. In the ring, he cut a promo, saying “Akron reminds me of a crack den.” He told Jordan he wishes Tyler “had never been born, because me and your mom are gonna make some pregnancy porn.” All four fought at the bell. Max hit an axe kick on Dillinger at 1:30. Jordan hit a Blue Thunder Bomb on Caster. Tre hit a springboard back elbow on Jordan.
Dillinger hit a senton on Jordan on the ring apron at 4:30. In the ring, Derek hit a sideslam on Tre. Max popped up Derek and hit a punt kick to the groin at 7:00. Katie ran in to interfere; Max picked her up and tossed her on Dillinger. Tre hit a Pele Kick. Tre and Jordan did springboard clotheslines off opposite ropes and both were down at 8:30. Jordan hit an impressive top-rope belly-to-belly suplex on Tre. Dillinger hit running knees in the corners on some opponents, then a sit-out powerbomb on Tre. Max hit a Mic Drop/top-rope elbow drop on Derek for a visual pin, but Katie pulled the ref to the floor. Caster hit a low blow uppercut on Max and rolled him up for the cheap pin. Solid match.
* Dillinger got on the mic and challenged Danhausen to a match at an upcoming show.
6. Alec Price defeated Sam Holloway at 18:33. I’ve written this before, but Halloway is perhaps 6’7″ and looks like Julius Creed; he also appears to have some amateur wrestling experience. Standing switches to open and Holloway’s thickness/overall size advantage is quite noticeable. Price couldn’t armdrag him. Sam dropped him with a hard chop at 3:00, then he hip-tossed Alec across the ring. Sam hit a hard shoulder tackle that flipped Price. Alec went for a dive between the ropes to the floor, but Sam caught him and tossed him back into the ring. So, Price hit a dive over the ropes at 5:30.
Back in the ring, Alec kept Sam grounded and stomped on him. Sam went for a leapfrog but his knee buckled at 8:00 and he had trouble standing. He went to pick up Price, but his knee again buckled and had to drop Alec. Price hit a Dragonscrew Legwhip, then a dropkick onto the kneecap, and Price loudly shouted, “Don’t get back up!” Price applied an Indian Deathlock at 10:00 and they traded punches while their legs were tied up. Alec hit his running kicks in the corner. Sam hit a German Suplex and they were both down at 12:30.
Sam hit some clotheslines in the corner but was hobbled. Price nailed a superkick and a running European Uppercut. Sam nailed a uranage; he made a delayed cover for a nearfall, and he clutched at his sore knee. Price hit a top-rope flying legdrop at 15:30, then his springboard Blockbuster for a nearfall. However, he couldn’t hit the Surprise Kick, as Sam couldn’t stay up. Sam hit a powerbomb; they both fell to the mat. Sam pulled down the straps of his singlet. However, Jeff Jarrett and Members Only returned at 18:00 and distracted Sam! Price hit a leg lariat and the Surprise Kick/step-up mule kick for the tainted pin. Lawlor and Bishop ran to the ring to save Sam from a post-match beatdown. Good match.
7. Wes Barkley, Kaplan, and “PME” Philly Collins and Marino Tenaglia defeated Eric Taylor, Chuck Stone, and “Money Shot” Elijah Dean and Zack Nystrom at 13:23. Taylor’s heel team all hold title belts here but of course they aren’t on the line. All eight immediately brawled. The babyfaces whacked the heels over their heads with weapons and they all brawled to the floor. Collins fought with Money Shot on the short bleachers. They brawled over to the concession stand and got food and this got a bit cartoonish. Wes crotched Taylor on a guardrail at 9:00; this has remained a brawl mostly on the floor. Stone tried to hit a fallaway slam on Kaplan through a table on the floor, but the table moved and Kaplan crashed hard to the floor. Ouch! In the ring, Nystrom tossed Kaplan onto an open chair. Philly scored a pin on Dean. Basic brawl that was truly barely in the ring.
* A cage was set up. While it is black beams, the structure looks like an old-school WWF cage. I’m not convinced it is structurally a good idea to climb it, though.
8. Isaiah Broner defeated The Duke in a steel cage match at 13:10. The Duke won the Gauntlet For The Gold just a few weeks ago. Duke got in the ring first; as Broner attempted to get in, Zack Nystrom hit him across the back with a chair several times and threw him into the ring. Duke immediately hit Broner with a chair in the ring and kept him grounded. Other wrestlers brawled at ringside. Broner slammed Duke’s head into the cage walls. Duke got a chain, wrapped it around his fist, and punched Broner. He choked Isaiah with it at 6:00.
Eric Taylor came to ringside and unlocked the cage at 9:00. Broner hit Duke over the head with a chair, then he speared Duke for a nearfall. Chuck Stone got in the ring and powerbombed Broner against the cage wall, and Duke covered Broner for a nearfall. Duke hit a Vader Bomb-style move for a nearfall at 11:30; he was heavily bleeding. LOTS of wrestlers were again brawling at ringside. Montgomery climbed the cage and hit a moonsault to the floor onto several guys. Broner slammed Duke onto an open chair and scored the pin. Okay brawl; Duke isn’t on Broner’s level. The babyfaces all jumped into the ring and celebrated with Broner.
Final Thoughts: A solid show that peaked early with a very good Price-Halloway match. Sam has such a great look and size to him and I’m very high on his potential. I wouldn’t say this match met my (very high!) expectations, but it was quite good and was best of the night. I’ll go with Dillinger’s four-way for second place and the show-opening scramble for third. The main event was merely okay; not bad but nothing that fans need to go out of their way to see. Duke is not at a place where he should be in the main event of a show these days.
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