By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
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AAW “Crush & Destroy”
June 28, 2025, in Berwyn, Illinois, at Berwyn Eagles Club
Replay available via YouTube.com
This show was released this week for free on YouTube. I’ve attended wrestling shows at this aging venue in suburban Chicago, and it’s a nice room to watch a show. The lights are on, and it seems fairly full with perhaps 350 in attendance. The commentary track is awful; it sounds distant and tinny. This usually isn’t an issue for them.
* AAW mutes the intro music. I totally understand why they do it, but it sure breaks up the flow of the show and the commentary. Also, there was a Freelance Wrestling show just a few miles away a night earlier, so Calvin Tankman, Chico Suave, and Shazza McKenzie appeared on both shows. Surprisingly, that was the extent of the crossover; these are two almost entirely separate rosters.
1. Ace Perry (w/Shain Boucher) vs. Isaiah Moore. Quick reversals at the bell, and they traded armdrags. Perry still dresses like a 1998 Hardy Boy in a super-tight long-sleeve shirt. Moore hit a dive to the floor, then a rolling clothesline in the ring. They brawled at ringside. In the ring, Moore hit a running neckbreaker at 4:00, and he hit a sit-out powerbomb move for a nearfall. Perry dove through the ropes.
As they got back into the ring, Moore hit a Lungblower. Perry hit a stunner and a fadeaway stunner off the ropes for a believable nearfall at 6:00. Perry hit a top-rope superplex, but Moore rolled through and hit a suplex. Moore hit a Swerve-style step-up mule kick for the pin. That was an all-out sprint and started the show off on the right tone.
Isaiah Moore defeated Ace Perry at 7:11.
* Perry shoved Boucher to the mat and left! Shain didn’t do anything wrong! He looked perplexed.
* Backstage, Shazza McKenzie talked about John E Bravo putting his hands on her. (Bravo turned on her last month in a heel turn everyone in the world saw coming but her.) She said he’s suspended, but she’s upset about that, because if he were here, she’d beat him up.
2. JDX vs. Shain Boucher vs. Chico Suave vs. Bruss Hamilton vs. Rafael Quintero vs. Hartenbower. Hamilton has a wide frame with tattoos on his upper chest and arms; he’s visibly stronger than his competitors. Everyone brawled at the bell. The two big guys, Hartenbower and Hamilton, traded punches and went up the entrance way to the back! Are they already gone for the match? Everyone else continued to fight, with Chico hitting a double armdrag move at 2:00. JDX and Boucher traded blows. Boucher hit a mid-ring Spanish Fly on Quintero.
Quintero hit a release suplex on JDX, then he dove to the floor on Boucher, then he hit a Lethal Injection on JDX! Nice sequence. Boucher hit a Lionsault on two guys. Quintero hit a top-rope elbow drop on JDX for the pin! I didn’t expect that to end so quickly. Yes, we didn’t see Bruss or Hartenbower again after those first few seconds of the match.
Rafael Quintero defeated JDX, Shain Boucher, Chico Suave, Bruss Hamilton, and Hartenbower at 5:29.
* Backstage, Solomon Tupu walked up to Robert “Ego” Anthony and they talked about their match later. Anthony dared him to take his title belt from him later.
3. Sean Logan vs. Shazza McKenzie in an intergender match. As we heard from Shazza a bit ago, no John E Bravo to join Logan to the ring tonight. Logan has long flowing blond hair, giving off a young Shawn Michaels vibe. He easily backed her into a corner. Shazza hit some chops and she ducked his blows, then she hit a basement dropkick, then some punches in the corner. He dropped her snake-eyes at 1:30 and was LOUDLY booed. Logan hit some shoulder blocks into the corner and a snap suplex for a nearfall.
Logan made a cocky one-footed cover. He hit a sideslam for a nearfall at 3:00. She hit some Yes Kicks as he was in the ropes. Shazza went for a top-rope crossbody block, but he caught her; she turned it into a tornado DDT for a nearfall at 4:30. Bruss Hamilton suddenly was at ringside and he reached in and grabbed Shazza by her hair! Hartenbower ran to ringside and kept brawling with Bruss! (Have those two been brawling for the past 10 or so minutes backstage?) Meanwhile, Shazza got an inside cradle for the flash pin! Enjoyable match.
Shazza McKenzie defeated Sean Logan at 5:05.
* Outside, Maggie Lee talked about her match with Laynie Luck tonight. She vowed she would walk out tonight still as champion.
4. Robert “Ego” Anthony vs. Solomon Tupu for the AAW Heritage Title. Again, Tupu reminds me of a younger Bronson Reed, but not quite as round. Tupu hit some chops early on, then a Samoan Drop at 2:00. They went to the floor, where Tupu clotheslined Anthony over the guardrail and into the crowd. (It really is packed; fans are standing against the back walls.) Tupu held Anthony’s arms and let the little kids in the crowd chop Anthony. (This spot never, ever gets old for me.) Tupu set up for a dive at 5:00, but Anthony cut him off. In the ring, Tupu hit a DDT out of the ropes. Tupu hit a shotgun dropkick; Anthony popped up and hit a clothesline, and they were both down.
Robert began choking Tupu and kept him grounded. Tupu hit a Falcon Arrow for a nearfall, and they were both down at 8:30. They got to their knees and traded forearm strikes. Tupu hit a shotgun dropkick and a rolling cannonball for a nearfall at 10:00. Tupu shouted, “Come on, old man!” (Ego has definitely been wrestling for at least 20 years.) Ego avoided a uranage, but seconds later, Tup hit a uranage for a nearfall at 12:00. Ego hit a second-rope superplex for a nearfall. Anthony rolled to the floor and got his title belt. The ref took it; Tupu got a rollup for a nearfall, then a Stomp for a nearfall!
Tupu missed a frogsplash! He hit a rolling Death Valley Driver for a nearfall, but Anthony got a foot in the ropes at 15:00. They fought to the floor, and Ego hit a rolling Death Valley Driver onto the hardwood floor! Several refs came out to check on both of them. (I don’t think we have a legit injury.) Ego rolled into the ring and he ordered the ref to start counting. Tupu dove back into the ring before the 10-count at 18:00. Anthony looked in disbelief. He stood over Tupu and shouted at him, saying he should have quit. Tupu reached up and slapped him! Anthony hit another rolling Death Valley Driver for the pin. That was really good.
Robert “Ego” Anthony defeated Solomon Tupu to retain the AAW Heritage Title at 18:38.
* Laynie Luck was backstage. She has a match later on!
5. Sierra vs. Heather Reckless. Sierra came out first; Heather snuck in and attacked her. “This is no Heather By Elegance!” a commentator shouted. They immediately brawled to the floor. In the ring, Sierra (who is taller and visibly stronger) knocked her down with a hard back elbow and took control. Sierra knocked Heather down to the floor, and she whipped Heather into the guardrail at 3:00. Back in the ring, Sierra hit a basement dropkick for a nearfall. She hit a snap suplex at 4:30.
Heather hit a basement dropkick in the corner, then a moonsault for a nearfall. She hit a top-rope doublestomp to the back for a nearfall at 8:00. They traded forearm strikes while on their knees, then while standing. Sierra hit a German Suplex; Heather hit an enzuigiri. Sierra hit a spear and a running knee for a nearfall at 10:00, then a piledriver for a nearfall. Sierra was irate that she didn’t win there, and she grabbed the ref but let him go. Heather immediately got a rollup for the flash pin! That was pretty entertaining.
Heather Reckless defeated Sierra at 10:51.
* Aaron Roberts and Joey “Jet” Avalon hit the ring, but Schaff and Russ Jones ran down for the save, and our next match was underway.
6. “The Hellhounds” Schaff and Russ Jones vs. Aaron Roberts and Joey “Jet” Avalon for the AAW Tag Team Titles. All four brawled at ringside. An elderly woman in the crowd swung her cane at Roberts! “This is what professional wrestling is all about!” a commentator shouted as the crowd chanted, “Granny!” Funny. In the ring, Schaff and Jones worked over Avalon. (Joey is now bald, and it’s still really throwing me off.) The Hellhounds hit a team suplex at 4:30 on Joey. Schaff hit a headbutt and choked Avalon in the ropes.
Jet and Roberts began working over Schaff in their corner. Schaff hit a spinning leg lariat on Avalon, and they were both down at 11:00. Schaff clotheslined Avalon to the floor. They tried to lift Robert but he’s 300+ pounds, and he fought it off. Aaron hit a chokeslam on Schaff. Sierra jumped on the apron and distracted the ref. Roberts hit a low blow on Jones, then he splashed onto Jones for the cheap pin! New champions! Sierra joined them in the ring as they celebrated the title change.
Aaron Roberts and Joey “Jet” Avalon defeated Schaff and Russ Jones to win the AAW Tag Team Titles at 13:24.
* Backstage, Chuck Smooth was with his six-year-old son. Smooth has put his son’s hair on the line! If Joe Alonzo wins later, this kid will be shaved bald!
7. Maggie Lee vs. Laynie Luck for the AAW Women’s Title. These two have fought before; I saw them at a live show in the Twin Cities last October. (I’ll look up later how many times they’ve shared a ring.) They shook hands at the bell. Quick reversals early on. Maggie hit her mid-ring buttbump for a nearfall, then a step-up senton for a nearfall at 2:30. Laynie stomped on her in the corner, and she tossed Maggie over the top rope to the floor at 4:30. On the floor, Laynie nailed a superkick. She got a nearfall in the ring, and she kept Maggie grounded. Maggie hit a pump kick, then a clothesline and a running neckbreaker for a nearfall at 7:00.
Maggie got some rollups, then a running knee to the side of the head for a believable nearfall. She hit a Nigel-style Tower of London for a nearfall at 9:00. She hit a Sabin-style Cradle Shock for a nearfall. Laynie hit a Death Valley Driver on the ring apron, with Maggie collapsing to the floor at 10:30, earning a “holy shit!” chant. Laynie threw Maggie back into the ring. However, Maggie got a jackknife cover out of nowhere for the pin! That was really good.
Maggie Lee defeated Laynie Luck to retain the AAW Women’s Title at 10:57.
* (Okay now that the match is over, I checked cagematch.net. These two women have now fought six times including this one — fewer than I thought! — with Laynie having won four of them. That tally includes three three-ways and a four-way.)
8. Jake Something and Stallion Rogers vs. Calvin Tankman and “Beef” Gnarls Garvin. This was the match I was most intrigued to see. Again, Rogers was Curt Stallion during a short NXT run. Tankman and Garvin were actually a tag team out at West Coast Pro last year before they started feuding. (Glad they made up to team up here!) Calvin and Jake opened and they couldn’t budge each other. Calvin finally hit a Pounce that dropped Jake. Calvin hit a backbreaker over his knee and a splash. Beef jumped in and hit a senton for a nearfall. The commentators said they haven’t seen Calvin and Beef team before. (Again, they did several times in the past two years.)
All four brawled on the floor. In the ring, Stallion hit a senton on Beef at 5:00, and they worked Garvin over in their corner. Beef hit a back-body drop on Jake at 8:30, but he couldn’t tag out. Rogers hit a German Suplex. (Beef is MUCH smaller than a year ago. He’s really slimmed down.) Jake and Stallion kept him on the mat. Calvin finally got a hot tag and entered at 10:30, hitting clotheslines on each opponent. Calvin hit a back-body drop on Stallion. He popped Rogers in the air, and Beef caught him and hit a German Suplex. Calvin hit the Rikishi Driver (piledriver) for a visual pin, but Jake pulled the ref from the ring.
Calvin dropped Jake with a forearm strike. Beef accidentally hit Calvin! Beef leapt off the ropes, but Jake dropped him with a forearm strike. Jake did a Rocket Launcher, tossing Stallion onto Beef. Jake and Calvin now traded forearm strikes at 13:00. Jake clipped Tankman’s knee, then hit a diving forearm strike but only got a one-count! Jake hit a chokeslam on Calvin! Beef dove in to break up a pin. Beef hit a piledriver on Jake! Rogers hit an Air Raid Crash, and suddenly all four were down and this crowd was HOT. They all stumbled to their feet and traded forearm strikes. Jake hit the Into the Void (Black Hole Slam) and pinned Calvin! Every bit as good as I hoped for.
Jake Something and Curt Stallion defeated Calvin Tankman and “Beef” Gnarls Garvin at 16:01.
* I again check cagematch.net — Calvin and Beef have shared a ring 14 times now, including eight as teammates. That tally includes some multi-man matches.
* John E. Bravo spoke backstage. He’ll be back at the next show.
9. Joe Alonzo (w/Donovan) vs. Chuck Smooth (w/Stevie Smooth). Again, the stipulation here is that if Joe loses, he is OUT of AAW. If Alonzo wins, he gets to shave the head of Smooth’s six-year-old son, Stevie! Alonzo came out first to some massive heat. Stevie was on Chuck’s back as they came to the ring. The bell rang, and Chuck immediately hit some punches. He tackled Joe, mounted him, and punched Alonzo. Joe hit a snap suplex for a nearfall at 3:30, and he hit Chuck across the back with a kendo stick.
Alonzo had some cooking skewers that he jabbed into the top of Chuck’s head! (I’m not a fan of that.) The crowd correctly chanted, “You sick f—!” at Joe. Alonzo got a staple gun and used it to staple money to Smooth’s forehead. Chuck got up and hit Joe with a kendo stick. Alonzo got some plastic bats wrapped in thumbtacks, and he hit Chuck on the back with them at 7:30. Joe raked the bat over the forehead “like a cheese grater!” as one commentator said. Chuck flipped Joe through a board bridge at 10:00 for a visual pin, but Donovan pulled the ref to the floor.
Alonzo again struck Chuck across the back with the barbed-wire bat. Joe got a belt and he hit several lashes to the back. Finally, Stevie jumped in the ring and grabbed Alonzo’s leg! Joe shoved the kid to the mat! He was going to hit the kid with the belt, but Chuck hit Joe with a bat. Chuck hit a Jarrett-style stroke. Donovan saved Alonzo. Joe sprayed a chemical into Chuck’s eyes, hit Chuck one more time with the bat, and got the pin! Alonzo stared at Stevie during the three-count!
Joe Alonzo defeated Chuck Smooth at 13:34.
* Stevie began to cry. Joe Alonzo and Donovan got some zip-ties and they handcuffed Chuck to the second rope. “I don’t care if there’s a contract, he doesn’t have to be in the ring!” a commentator shouted, urging Stevie to get out of the ring! “Is this where we are now?” Alonzo ordered the kid to sit on a chair. Stevie punched Joe! Joe grabbed the kid, forced him to sit in the chair, and he forcibly shaved the six-year-old boy bald!!!!!!! (Never have I ever seen this…) The crowd was aghast. Chuck was screaming in anger.
* Colt Cabana ran into the ring! He’s not booked, and he wasn’t dressed to wrestle. He chased off Alonzo and Donovan. We got a “holy shit!” chant for the appearance of Colt. The commentators noted how long Colt and Smooth have been friends. “Shame on you, Joe Alonzo,” Colt said. The crowd chanted, “Shame!” Colt noted he has been in AAW for 20 years now. “I’ve seen people like you come and go; true assholes.” Cabana wants a match with Alonzo!
Final Thoughts: What a finish to that main event. The match itself was solid – nothing memorable, really – but the post-match angle was great. The kid did his part perfectly, jumping into the ring when he should have, then trying to fight off the head-shaving. I think everyone involved has to be happy with how this played out.
The Tankman/Beef-Jake/Stallion match was really, really good and takes best match. I’ll go with Maggie-Luck for second, with a really good Ego-Tupu match for third. The main event definitely more than earns its honorable mention for the angle; some fans will like the match a lot more than I did, but I’m not a fan of all the thumbtacks, cooking skewers, and blood. This is maybe 5-6 straight months now that AAW has posted their shows on YouTube, and you can really see how the storylines flow from one show to the next.
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