By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
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AAW “Epic: the 21st Anniversary Event”
February 28, 2025 in Berwyn, Illinois at Berwyn Eagles Club
Replay available via YouTube.com
This show was posted for free on YouTube this week. I’ve attended a couple live shows in this venue, and it is absolutely packed with 300 or so fans. Lighting is good. They mute out music, which also unfortunately mutes out the ring entrances; I get it, I totally understand why they do it, but it sure is distracting.
1. Anthony Catena vs. Shain Boucher vs. Solomon Tupu in a three-way. I saw Catena on last month’s AAW show but he’s still fairly new to me; he wrestles in a red track suit. I have routinely compared Tupu to Bronson Reed (but not as big), while Shain is similar to Lash LaRoux. Catena tried to pick up the big Tupu but he collapsed at 2:00. Shain launched off Tupu’s back and dove onto Catena on the floor, earning an “AAW!” chant. Tupu slammed Shain onto the ring apron as they fought on the floor. In the ring, Tupu hit a Michinoku Driver for a nearfall at 4:00. Catena ate some protein powder (is he Kona Reeves?) and hit a Death Valley Driver. Tupu hit a standing powerbomb, then a Burning Hammer to pin Boucher. That was fast-paced and good for the time given.
Solomon Tupu defeated Anthony Catena and Shain Boucher at 5:04.
* Catena got on the mic and berated the crowd. Big BEEF hit the ring and hit him with a decapitating clothesline. He challenged Stallion Rogers (f/k/a Curt Stallion in NXT) and chased him to the back, then to ringside, and I started my stopwatch here…
2. Big BEEF vs. Stallon Rogers. They brawled through the crowd, with fans chanting “Beef!” with every punch. We had two refs but no bell yet. They went to ringside and kept brawling. They got in the ring at 4:30 but no bell, so I guess this isn’t going to become an official match. BEEF hit a backbody drop and the commentators joked that we actually saw a wrestling move. BEEF hit a bulldog. Finally some wrestlers I don’t know got in the ring at 6:00 to try and break it up, but BEEF easily beat up these scrawny kids. Rogers twisted BEEF’s ankle. Rogers beat up some more scrawny green wrestlers, who are all in their ring gear. (Kayfabe, why are they in their gear?)
BEEF hit a piledriver at 8:00 but he limped from what Rogers did to his ankle. BEEF dove off of the top rope, but Rogers moved, and BEEF crashed through a table. Rogers put a chair around BEEF’s neck and stomped on the chair at 11:00 to ‘Pillmanize’ BEEF! The two refs finally got in the ring; Rogers took BEEF’s boot as a ‘trophy.’ A really good segment.
BEEF vs. Stallion Rogers never officially started but a brawl went 11:00.
* Backstage, Maggie Lee showed off her newly-won women’s title and she’s ready for a match later with Tootie Lynn.
3. Zeeko vs. Ethan Hyre. Zeeko is massive and muscular, and I’ve seen him before in Glory Pro Wrestling. His opponent was “already in the ring,” and Hyre is barely bigger than Marko Stunt, so this better go 2 minutes or less. Zeeko got on the mic and was upset at the level of his competition, and he offered Hyre 3 seconds to get out of the ring, then warned him, “I’m gonna kill ya.” Hyre stomped on Zeeko’s boot; Zeeko took his head off with a clothesline, then he hit a fallaway slam. Zeeko hit a D’Lo-style Sky High Powerbomb and pinned him. That’s what I wanted!
Zeeko defeated Ethan Hyre at 1:16.
* Zeeko hit a post-match powerbomb. Solomon Tupu ran in to make the save; Tup and Zeeko argued but no punches were thrown.
* Backstage, WWE ID prospect Aaron Roberts was looking for a partner. He walked up to Starman Harley Rock, a scrawny white kid who got destroyed in a singles match last month, and ordered him to be his teammate.
4. Maggie Lee vs. Tootie Lynn for the AAW Women’s Title. Lynn also is a Glory Pro regular. Lee (who was just on the TNA Orlando tapings) is at or near 6’0″ and she towers over Tootie. Quick reversals at the bell and they stood toe-to-toe, and the size gap was really evident. Lee hit a fallaway slam at 1:00. She put Tootie on her shoulders and slammed Lynn to the mat for a nearfall. Lynn snapped the left arm across the top rope and kicked at it, and she hit a running penalty kick for a nearfall, then a Helluva Kick and a bulldog for a nearfall at 3:00. Maggie fired back with a Wheelbarrow German Suplex for a nearfall. Lynn hit a doublestomp to the back, then a Code Red for a nearfall. Maggie hit a Tombstone Piledriver out of nowhere for the pin. Good action but shockingly short.
Maggie Lee defeated Tootie Lynn to retain the AAW Women’s Title at 5:13.
* Backstage, Joe Alonzo said he’s not worried at all about Robert “Ego” Anthony. He has Anthony’s stolen title belt.
5. “The Hellhounds” Schaff & Russ Jones vs. “The Dub Club” KC Jacobs & Ryan Matthias vs. Damian Chambers & Crash Jaxon vs. Aaron Roberts & Starman Harley Rock in an elimination match for the AAW Tag Team Titles. Again, Roberts is like a young One Man Gang and he wasn’ on my radar before he got the WWE ID contract. Russ Jones and Chambers opened, and Damian hit a dropkick. Russ stomped on him in a corner. The Dub Club got in and took turns beating up Chambers. The commentators jokingly did “Steiner math” in explaining how to stay in the match and slowly improve your odds of winning as other teams are eliminated. Matthias (think long-haired Peter Avalon) missed a moonsault. Crash finally got a hot tag at 5:00 and hit a Pounce.
Aaron Roberts got in, chokeslammed KC Jacobs, hit a splash to the mat, and pinned him at 5:17, and the Dub Club are gone. Scrawny Starman tagged himself in and peeled off his jacket, and I can’t underscore enough how this man has no muscle mass. He charged at Crash Jaxon, but Crash immediately beat him up. Starman tried to tag out to the tag champs, but neither would tag in. Crash hit a fallaway slam on Starman. Jones decided to tag in, and the champs hit a team stunner on Crash. Jones hit a spear and pinned Chambers at 9:49, and we’re down to two. No stop in action, as the champs hit a team suplex on the massive Roberts. Russ Jones then hit a Doomsday Device clothesline on Starman for the pin. Satisfying match. Roberts is big; he might be 400 pounds.
Schaff & Russ Jones defeated KC Jacobs & Ryan Matthias and Damian Chambers & Crash Jaxon and Aaron Roberts & Starman Harley Rock in an elimination match to retain the AAW Tag Team Titles at 11:04.
* Unsurprisingly, Roberts got back in the ring and hip-tossed his scrawny partner Starman, then nailed a Vader Bomb. Highly predictable post-match beatdown, but fun.
* Backstage, Robert Anthony said Joe Alonzo should be afraid of him.
6. Ace Perry (w/Shain Boucher) vs. Rafael Quintero in a Mexican Death Match. Boucher and Perry carried flower bouquets to the ring; I wish we didn’t have this all muted out. The bell rang, and Ace lit a cigarette… and put it out on Quintero’s shirt! They brawled. Boucher immediately jumped in the ring and attacked, so it was two-on-one. Quintero hit a moonsault press on both of them. Quintero went under the ring and got the smallest pinata I’ve ever seen. Ae hit a DDT at 3:00. Quintero hit a huracanrana; he set up for a dive to the floor, but Ace punched him in the face, and Quintero fell to the floor and vanished under the ring. When Rafael stood up, he had a bloody forehead. Ace jabbed a weapon into Quintero’s forehead. Gross.
Quintero hit a flipping powerbomb for a nearfall at 7:30. He got a kendo stick and repeatedly hit Ace across the back with it. He grabbed the pinata, and dumped it out on the mat; it was filled with thumbtacks. (I was thinking it was a brick wrapped in paper.) They brawled back to the floor. Ace suplexed him through a chair bridge on the floor and they were both down. Quintero dove through the ropes and hit a rolling cannonball on the floor, sending Ace backward into a table that was against the guardrails at 13:00. They got back in the ring, where Quintero hit a top-rope Cradle Shock through a table for the pin. Decent brawl; I really like what I’ve seen of Quintero lately.
Rafael Quintero defeated Ace Perry at 14:51.
* Backstage, John E Bravo, Davey Vega, Shazza McKenzie, Bruss Hamilton and another guy gathered. Vega said he has a title shot in the bank.
7. Joe Alonzo (w/the intern) vs. Robert “Ego” Anthony for the AAW Heritage Title. Alonzo rolled to the floor at the bell and stalled. He got in the ring and dove onto Ego on the floor. The intern attacked Anthony when the ref wasn’t looking. Joe took control in the ring, stomped on Anthony, and kept him grounded. Alonzo hit a rolling Death Valley Driver for a nearfall at 6:30. Anthony fired up and hit some clotheslines and a swinging faceplant, and he tied Alonzo in a surfboard. Anthony nailed an Angels Wings for a nearfall at 8:30, but the intern put Alonzo’s foot on the ropes.
Alonzo got the title belt; he swung and missed. Anthony nailed a rolling Death Valley Driver for a believable nearfall, but the intern pulled the ref from the ring! Ego rolled to the floor, picked up the intern, and powerbombed him over the guardrail into the crowd. In the ring, Alonzo hit Ego with the title belt and got a believable nearfall at 10:30; I thought that was it. Alonzo went to the floor and got a spike, and he loosened the top turnbuckle with it. This is comical because he couldn’t get the turnbuckle off, but he eventually removed it, and he wrapped the top rope around Ego’s neck and choked him with it! Ego hit a second rolling Death Valley Driver, then a third one, and he got the pin!
Robert “Ego” Anthony defeated Joe Alonzo to win the AAW Heritage Title at 14:07.
* Backstage, Isaiah Moore called out Silas Young. We return to the venue, where the top rope is now back in place.
8. Davey Vega and Shazza McKenzie (w/John E. Bravo) vs. Sierra and Joey Avalon. Last month, real-life couple Sierra and Avalon had some in-ring issues, with Sierra screaming at him, and she barked at Joey as we started. Shazza rolled up Sierra at the bell for a nearfall! Meanwhile, Shazza was yelling at Bravo, as those two also aren’t getting along! Vega and Avalon tied up, and Joey knocked him down with a shoulder tackle. Bravo tripped Avalon at 3:00, allowing Vega to jump on the bigger Avalon and stomp on him. Shazza also got in and stomped on Avalon and choked him in the corner with her leg across his throat. Sierra tagged herself in at 5:30, but Shazza hit a series of Yes Kicks to Sierra’s chest.
Sierra hit a senton for a nearfall. They hit simultaneous clotheslines, and both women were down at 8:00. The men tagged back in with Avalon hitting some running back elbows and a running Claymore Kick at 9:30. Bravo hopped on the ring apron; Shazza accidentally (??) ran into him! Avalon spun around and nailed a package piledriver on Shazza. Sierra grabbed Joey’s shoulder; Joey turned around and clocked her, not realizing who it was! Vega hit a running knee and pinned Avalon. Intrigue! Decent intergender match.
Davey Vega and Shazza McKenzie defeated Joey Avalon and Sierra at 10:22.
* The crowd chanted “you f—ed up!” at Avalon. He initially looked apologetic, but Sierra marchd backstage without him.
* Backstage, Hartenbower talked about his first match back from an injury.
9. Isaiah Moore vs. Silas Young. We got a “both these guys!” chant before they locked up. The commentators noted that, like Ego Anthony, Silas has been a fixture in AAW since the promotion launched. A good feeling-out process to open and a stand-off at 2:00, and the crowd chanted “you still got it!” after Silas did a kip-up. They brawled to the floor, and Silas slammed him onto the ring apron. In the ring, Silas hit a powerslam at 4:30 for a nearfall. He hit a back suplex for a nearfall at 7:00. Moore hit a Pele Kick and some clotheslines and an enzuigiri that sent Silas to the floor. Moore hit a flip dive over the ring post and onto Silas in the entrance area! In the ring, Moore missed a frogsplash, and Silas immediately got a rollup for a believable nearfall at 9:00. Moore then got his own rollup for the pin! That was really good for the time given.
Isaiah Moore defeated Silas Young at 9:12.
* Backstage, Trevor Lee said he never thought he would be back at the Berwyn Eagles Club. He said the last time he was here, he fought guys like Eddie Kingston. He said he’s “made a lot of money since he left this place.” It was a very cocky promo. He doesn’t know Ren Jones, but wasn’t too concerned about facing him, either.
10. Bruss Hamilton and Sean Logan (w/John E. Bravo) vs. Hartenbower and Mike Bennett. Again, Bruss has a wide, massive body (think WWE’s Otis but taller!) All four immediately brawled at the bell. Both Bennett and Hartenbower bit their opponents. They went to the floor and shoved Bruss head-first into the ring post at 2:00. Logan (last month, they jokingly described him as WCW Jericho, which is spot-on!) was then beat up by Hartenbower and Bennett. In the ring, Logan hit a low blow on Bennett at 4:00. Bruss got in and slammed Bennett to the mat. Logan missed a Lionsault. Hartenbower got back in and beat up Logan. Hartenbower hit a spear on Bruss. Bennett hit a piledriver on Logan. Davey Vega appeared at ringside and struck Hartenbower with brass knuckles! Logan immediately rolled up Hartenbower for the cheap pin.
Sean Logan and Bruss Hamilton defeated Hartenbower and Mike Bennett at 7:42.
* Backstage, Ren Jones cut a promo, showing off his newly-won AAW Title. He also wasn’t concerned about facing Trevor Lee.
11. Ren Jones vs. Trevor Lee for the AAW Heavyweight Title. Again, if you haven’t seen Lee since he left WWE, he has cut his hair short with the sides of his head trimmed. He came out first, got on the mic, and berated the crowd for not giving him a better reception. An intense lockup to open and their height and body size are fairly similar. Ren looks a lot like Jonathan Gresham, or a bit like LaBron Kozone. Jones knocked him down with a shoulder tackle at 5:00, and they fought to the floor. Lee accidentally chopped the ring post! Lee nailed a running penalty kick on the ring apron at 7:30 and was booed. In the ring, Lee choked Jones and kept him grounded. He shoved some money into the ref’s pocket; the ref held his hands up in the air, signifying he wants no part of this.
Lee whipped Jones into the turnbuckles at 10:30 and celebrated. He hit a backbreaker over his knee and remained in charge. Ren fired up and hit some jab punches and a clothesline at 13:30. Lee hit a European Uppercut to the back; Jones countered with a hard spinebuster for a nearfall at 15:00. Trevor Lee hit a pop-up spin kick to the chest, then some Yes Kicks to the chest and a clothesline, then a brainbuster for a believable nearfall at 18:30. He hit a forearm strike to the back of Ren’s head for a nearfall. Lee hit a low blow punt kick with the ref out of position and got a nearfall at 21:00. Ren got a backslide for a nearfall. They got up and traded forearm strikes. Jones hit a DDT. Lee hit a superkick. Jones hit a pumphandle sit-out powerbomb for the pin. That was really good.
Ren Jones defeated Trevor Lee to retain the AAW Heavyweight Title at 24:32.
Final Thoughts: A really good main event carried a good overall show. This is the second straight month AAW has posted an entire show for free on YouTube, and this is definitely worth checking out. While it was short, I liked Silas-Moore for second. I’ll narrowly go with the four-way tag match ahead of Ego-Alonzo for third. This crowd was hot and into what they saw.
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